My Dearest Angel
by tigereyes320
Summary: Starts 2 weeks after IOTH. What chain of events will happen after both Jarod and Miss Parker receive letters from the late Mr. Parker. This is the same story I've just reloaded it correctly. The ships will not change.
1. Part 1

Disclaimer: The Pretender characters don't belong to me. They belong to NBC and MTM etc. But definitely don't belong to me. No infringement is implied etc. etc. Feed back wanted tigereyes320@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
  
  
My Dearest Angel  
  
By tigereyes320 Part 1 of 5  
  
  
  
Day 1 The Centre  
  
Blue Cove, DE  
  
Parker was sitting in her office, with her back to the door. She just wanted this day to end as quickly as possible. Even though she was deep in thought, she felt rather then heard someone in her office. She didn't need to turn around to know who was there. Sometimes it just didn't pay to have a twin.  
  
"Can I do something for you Lyle?" Parker asked in her iciest voice.  
  
"No. I came to ask if you wanted to go out to dinner?" Lyle said calmly, just waiting for the storm to break.  
  
"You want to take me out to dinner?" Parker said pronouncing each word as its own sentence.  
  
"Yes, I do. I know what today is. I also know how hard it has been for you since Dad died." Lyle answered with a small grin.  
  
"Have I entered the Twilight Zone? Since when do we do dinner? For that matter since when were we family. We also don't know that Daddy . . ." she paused in the middle of her snit. She took a deep breath and continued. "We don't know that Daddy is dead. You and Raines insisted on having a memorial service for him. Now his empty casket lies next to my mothers. That is it! Take you offer of dinner, and shove it where the sun doesn't shine! I'm leaving right now, before I do something that gives me one less brother! I'll see you tomorrow." With that she grabbed her briefcase and her coat and stormed out the door and out of the building.  
  
Parker would run a few errands, before going home and then enjoy a long hot soak in her tub. It had been a long time since she left work, while the sun was still shining.  
  
An hour or so later  
  
Parker's House Blue Cove, DE  
  
Parker closed the door after the messenger had given her the message and signed for it. She opened the letter she had just signed for. She had never seen this messenger service before because, The Centre had their own messenger service so there was never a need to use outsiders. She glanced at handwriting on the envelope and realized it was from the man that she had called "Daddy" her whole life. The memorial service for the man she still considered her father, had been held one month ago today.  
  
As she opened the letter, her mind repeatedly played the last time she saw him.  
  
"Daddy, I have to know. Are you my real father?" she had asked him desperately.  
  
"I love you as though you were my daughter. That's all that matters." He said before he jumped out of the plane with the scrolls.  
  
Parker opened the envelope and saw several pages inside. She steeled herself for what lies might be inside, but also for whatever truths might be revealed. Parker sat down on the sofa and turned on the light to read the letter.  
  
My Dearest Angel; I have always considered you that, My Angel. I hope after you read this letter you will be able to forgive me. Please wait until you hear the entire truth about everything before you react. If you are reading this, I am dead. A month after my funeral the messenger service has been instructed to deliver this to your house. A lot will be revealed in this letter. Do what you will with the information in this letter. Please think before you act. I don't want you joining your mother and I any time soon.  
  
The first thing I need to tell you is one of the hardest. I helped kill your Thomas. I didn't pull the trigger. I didn't assign Brigitte to kill him. But I knew it was going to happen. Mr. Raines came to me and said you were losing you focus, your edge. I told him that you were in love, and if you had to choose between Thomas and us. Thomas would be the one chosen. I also told him that you planned to leave the Centre and move to Oregon to be with Thomas. Angel, he was livid. He told me I had a choice to make. You could stay at the Centre and live or you could move to Oregon with Thomas and die. If I chose you to live, I knew I was signing Thomas's death warrant. I'm sorry Angel I chose you. I had no idea they would do it at your house with your gun. I thought it would just be an accident on a road somewhere. After Thomas' death you were back to your old self and you were safe. I know what losing Thomas did to you Angel, and I am so sorry for putting you through that. I love you; you are my daughter, Angel. I had to keep you alive. I owed your mother that much.  
  
The next thing I have to tell you about is your mother. I loved her so much. I wasn't able to protect her. In fact, I helped destroy her. I helped the Centre destroy her. I let the Centre control my love for her and or marriage. I'm not proud of the fact that on more then one occasion I did hit your mother. I am not your biological father that is true. Neither is Abel Parker/William Raines. He thinks you are, and Angel for now it might be best that he does. Lyle is not your twin brother, Angelo is. It was safer at the time when Lyle changed the results of the test for him to be a Parker. I'll get back to this in a bit. We tried for a while and nothing seemed to work. The Centre was decades ahead in fertility studies.  
  
We tried Invitro-fertilization long before the rest of the world had even heard of it. However, the miscarriages were too much for your mother. She wanted a child so badly; it began to strain our marriage. We stopped talking to each other. To make a long story short, I had an affair Angel. Your mother was so angry with me she left me for a while. I know she found comfort in another mans arms. I think it might have been Sydney or his brother Jacob. This was before he was her doctor. I'm not sure on this. You'd have to ask him. He knows quite a few of the Centre secrets. Your mother and I broke off our respective affairs and forgave each other. We then discovered that you and your brother were on the way. I was thrilled. I made her promise me that she would never tell the father that you were his, nor would she tell anyone else. I didn't want you confused Angel. No, that is a lie. I didn't want you calling anyone else Daddy. I also didn't want the Triumvirate to know that you weren't mine. If I couldn't have a child, I wouldn't be of any use to them. You know what happens to those they have no use for. I swear to you, your mother and I never knew that your twin had survived. Losing that baby nearly killed her. Raines wanted to exploit the gift you had inherited from her. I couldn't do that to Catherine. She had lost two babies to miscarriage and then your brother to his stillbirth. I put my foot down; they weren't going to take you from her as well.  
  
I will tell you something else Raines needs you and "your brother" to run the Centre. It can only keep going if you, Angel are a part of it. You are the one they need. Your mother, I know wants you to finish her work. Angel, you have to be careful. Your mother went to far, to fast. I played a major part in her death. I let them impregnate her with Ethan. I thought that I could explain it to her and together we could work something out. Instead, she was forced to trust in Raines. If she hadn't maybe, I could have kept her alive. Angel, she really is dead. I saw the body cremated. I scattered her ashes under the tree you two use to picnic under and in her garden at the summer place, your house. That's probably why you always felt her presence there more then my house.  
  
I'm so glad you and Jarod were able to save Ethan. You two always made an unbeatable team. That is why Raines sent you two that picture of your mothers together. She did hide a DSA for you. I was never able to find it. It probably is somewhere in your house, in a place that only you and your mother knew about. Angel, Please try to make the Centre what it once was, a place that did do some good. If you can't you, have my blessing to destroy it. Do what you must to survive. Then do what you have to do to rebuild your life. Can't keep a Parker down, and you are a Parker. I'm sending another letter to Jarod to give him some answers.  
  
About Angelo, your mother insisted after what Raines did to him we adopt him. The papers for him, Faith and ones dealing with your baby brother are in a locked box that is located under some floorboards beneath your sofa. The key to the locked box is taped to the painting I gave you for your college graduation. Angel I wish I could say what I have just confessed to be the worse that I have done to you, but it isn't. Before I go into all the details of my betrayal. I have named you your baby brother's guardian. All the papers are in the box. Evan Thomas is the child you should have been able to have with your Thomas. The one you would have had if the Centre hadn't interfered. I named him Evan because that is what we planned to call your twin brother. It went so well with your given name of Eve Catherine. I chose Thomas because of the day he was born, what Brigitte had done, but most especially because I genuinely liked Thomas. He put you first. He saw all your faults and loved you because of them or in spite of them. He would have gone toe to toe with anyone out to hurt you. I know you'll be as wonderful a mother to Evan as your mother was to you. Your custody will go uncontested. If it doesn't, in the box, there is DNA test results that will guarantee you get custody. Angel, Evan is your biological son, yours and Jarod's. Neither of you knew that we had his sperm from when he was a prisoner here, and we took some of your eggs when you almost died from the ulcer perforation two years ago. The Centre knew one thing. If anything happened to you, Jarod would disappear without a trace. I knew the child wasn't Brigitte's and mine. I had the test run at three separate non- Centre run facilities. The truth is that child wouldn't be here at all, if you hadn't delivered him. From the Triumvirate, I have a signed irrevocable sanction giving your son to you free and clear. The Centre is not allowed to use him as they used his father. Angel, Jarod' ll be contacting you about this. I'm also sure he will want to see, and spend time with his son. The Centre has stolen so much from you, Angel. Get Jarod to help you steal some of that time back. Angel, I know you are hurt, and furious and you have every right to be. I did what I did to keep you both alive.  
  
I have known from the start who Raines was and that his only loyalty was to himself. I know I don't have to tell you this but don't trust him or Lyle. In fact in that whole place the only people I feel you can trust are Sydney, Broots and Sam the sweeper I've always had assigned to you. I knew he couldn't be bought and that his first loyalty would be to you. Raines will have to be eliminated by fair means or foul. I will leave that decision up to you and Jarod. I'm running out of time here. We leave to meet you two in Scotland shortly. My Eve, I have always loved you, even when I didn't show you for fear of the Centre's reprisals They have an uncanny knack of taking what people love and twisting into something ugly or destroying it. Don't let them do that to you. One of my biggest regrets will be in not seeing the incredible mother you'll be. I wish I could see you raise Evan and any other children you might choose to have. Your mother called you her gift from God. Know that I think of you that way too. The other information in the box should provide you with whatever answers you desire. I won't ask for your forgiveness, I don't deserve it. I only hope that one day you will think of me, with a small portion of kindness. Know that I don't forgive myself for all the pain I've caused you.  
  
I love you My Dearest Angel, My Eve. "Daddy" Cain Parker  
  
As Parker finished reading the last page it fell to her lap as unheeded as the tears running down her face. She looked up at the fireplace and saw a picture of her and her mother together. She snapped to attention and grabbed her cell phone from the pocket of her leather trench coat. She activated it and starting snapping instructions into it as soon as the phone stopped ringing.  
  
"Have my baby brother packed up and ready to leave in an hour. I'm bringing him home to live with me. I'll get the police involved if I have to 'Dad'. I have papers giving custody to me. I'll be out of the office for the next 3 weeks. Call it maternity leave! I don't care! Don't push me Raines. You want my loyalty, hand over my brother and approve my time off. I'll be there in less then an hour." she abruptly ended the call.  
  
Parker sat back down on the sofa. Her hands were shaking. 'Let's hope I just didn't sign my own death certificate.' Parker rose, and went to the back to the portrait, that was hanging over the fireplace feeling for the key behind it. She pushed the sofa out of the way and heedless of her silk miniskirt and stockings found the loose floorboard and grabbed the locked box. She found another envelope pushed further back then the box she pulled that out too. Parker had just shoved the sofa back in place when her cell phone rang.  
  
"What!" Parker snapped at the caller.  
  
"Do you have my son?" Jarod asked in a voice she'd never heard before.  
  
"That is OUR son. I'm in the process of changing and going to pick him up." Parker took a few deep breaths before continuing, "Jarod, I knew nothing about this." she said as she walked into her room pulling off her jacket, and grabbing a suitcase from the closet.  
  
"I know" Jarod replied I that horribly quiet voice.  
  
Parker was somewhat surprised he wasn't more upset about the whole situation. Especially knowing how Jarod felt about family. "Jarod, I'm taking the next few weeks off. It's probably dangerous to do this. But, oh well. Do you want to meet somewhere, and spend some time with us?" Parker asked as she starts throwing some necessities in her suitcase.  
  
"Let me make some arrangements. I'll call you in about an hour."  
  
"Fine. You can reach me on my cell. I know you know the number." Parker zipped up the suitcase as she tossed the phone onto the bed. She took off the rest of her clothes and jumped into the shower.  
  
After toweling off, she slipped into some old jeans a tank and her favorite flannel shirt of Tommy's. She then put on some shoes, grabbed her trench coat, and picked up the locked box and envelope. She opened the suitcase and put the envelope and the contents of the lock box inside before slamming it shut. She went back in and grabbed various pictures of mother and her as a child, as well as the picture of her and Thomas. Parker took her suitcase and put it into the trunk of her car.  
  
Parker then got in her car and drove to her father's house. Raines had taken over there as well. It had been fifteen minutes after she had left her house when she pulled up outside Raines' new residence, her father's old house. When she got out of her car, Parker made sure her gun was loaded, and armed at the small of her back and went to retrieve her son.  
  
Raines met her at the door with his ever present oxygen tank and sweeper Willie as she climbed the steps.  
  
"I don't think this is a good idea." Raines rasped as he stared intently at her.  
  
"Since when do I care what you think? I can do anything I want. You need me to find Jarod and you know it. A blood test may say you are my father. Daddy however gave custody of Evan to me. Are you going to cause a problem?" Parker's voice dripped with poison. "Because, I have the paperwork and the law on my side. If I don't involve the police, I could involve the Triumvirate. I'm sure they would love to know just how much you've 'helped' with the search for Jarod. Now, did you approve the vacation time or do I need to make a phone call?" she stared at him, her eyes like twin ice beams.  
  
"Yes! I approved it." Raines growled knowing at that moment she was right. If the police got involved the Triumvirate would have heads rolling. Especially if they found out the truth about Evan.  
  
"Good. I'll see you in three weeks. I wouldn't advise trying anything. I've already made out a will and faxed it to my attorney, as to who will raise Evan if anything happens to me before he is eighteen. I even think someone is following me. I'll go to the Triumvirate with the information I have. We both know it's enough to get you killed several times over." with that missile aimed and fired, she picked up Evan, and his car seat, placing him in her car. She then took his things from the nanny and put them in her car as well.  
  
"I'm taking my brother on a vacation with me. We need to bond. You may have the next three weeks off with pay Ms. Roberts. I'll let you know when I'm returning. I don't know, that I plan to retain your services myself. Here is my cell phone number if you have any questions." Parker explained as she handed the woman her business card. She got into her car and sped away, before Raines could change his mind.  
  
"Evan, you and Mommy are going to get to spend some quality time with Daddy. As soon as he lets me know where to meet him." Parker explained to the almost 2 year old in a soft voice.  
  
"OK" Evan chirped as he watched out the window.  
  
"Mommy. I'm Mommy, baby." Parker said gently, a tear running down her cheek. She never thought she'd have to ask her own child to call her Mommy.  
  
"OK, Mommy." Evan agreed happily munching on a cracker he had grabbed from his diaper bag.  
  
Parker then picked up her cell phone, and called Sydney, who was still at the Centre. "Sydney, I just wanted to let you know I'll be out of the office for the next three weeks. I'll call you soon, and let you know what is going on." she cut the connection before he could reply. Before she could interrogate him for the truth about him and her mother  
  
Parker continued to drive west, not knowing where she was going, just wanting to get away from Blue Cove, as fast as she legally possible. Parker was so unaware of her surroundings like in a trance, that she nearly jumped out of her skin when the cell phone beside her started to ring, Parker realized she'd been driving in her near-trance state for almost an hour. Parker glanced into the backseat, through the rear view mirror and saw her son was asleep. Parker pulled to the side of the road before answering the phone.  
  
"Hello?" she said in a low voice as she looked at the deserted road around her.  
  
"Parker is that you? You almost sound friendly." Jarod asked shocked at her response.  
  
"Evan is asleep. I don't want to wake him." She told him shortly.  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"I just passed the Maryland-Delaware state line. I'm in my car. Will I need to get rid of it? Jarod, are you there?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"He is beautiful. Where do you want us to meet you?"  
  
"Go to the next Airport and take a plane to Chicago. Don't use your credit cards or your real name if possible. Do you have enough cash?" He asked before continuing, "Also here is my cell phone number, it secure and you can call me before you get in so I know which Airport to meet you at." He rattled off a number to her.  
  
"Yes I've enough cash. I went to the Bank, before I went home today. It's one of the reasons I was home early. Jarod, is it safe to fly to you directly or should I take several flights?" she asked glancing back at her son. He looked so cute with cracker crumbs around his mouth.  
  
"You'll be safe. I'm sending Lyle, Sydney, and Broots on a wild goose chase up and down the West Coast. You'll probably be back before they will." He joked.  
  
"Jarod how are we going to do this? Hell, How am I going to raise a child?" she asked running a hand through her hair, and away from her face.  
  
"We'll worry about that later. Call me when you are about an hour out of Chicago. I'll pick you up at either O'Hare or Midway."  
  
"Okay. Call you soon." She disconnected the call and pulled back onto the road.  
  
Parker continued driving to the next gas station to fill up the gas tank, and purchase a road map of Maryland. After studying the map on the trunk of her car, it looked like Baltimore is where she would have to fly out from and she was at least an hour away. She called the Baltimore Airport to see if she could still catch any flights out tonight. Parker was then told there was a 7:55 flight, so she made reservations for her and Evan using a credit card she had recently got under a fictitious name. If she drove like a demon, they might just make it, especially with Security being so tight at airport these days.  
  
Before driving off, Parker got her luggage out of the trunk and repacked her suitcase with the contents of her briefcase and the pictures she had taken from the house. When that was done, she proceeded to pack some of Evans things that were in the backseat with him and repacked the diaper bag. She reloaded the suitcases back into the trunk, and drove off like Satan himself, was hot on their heels.  
  
Parker swung into the Baltimore-Washington Airport with 40 minutes to spare. She raced through check in with Evan, his car seat and the diaper bag. Evan drowsed against her shoulder looking around at all the lights and sounds of the airport.  
  
"Let's go see Daddy. Ok Evan?" she asked.  
  
"Ok, Mommy." He answered giving her a hug.  
  
TBC 


	2. Part 2

Disclaimer: The Pretender characters don't belong to me. They belong to NBC and MTM etc. But definitely don't belong to me. No infringement is implied etc. etc. Feed back wanted tigereyes320@hotmail.com  
My Dearest Angel  
  
By tigereyes320 Part 2 of 5  
Day 1  
  
Chicago, IL  
  
Jarod sat and looked at the phone for a minute. He laughed to himself. Life really can change in a single moment. He remembered when he first read the letter. He still couldn't believe that this was all coming about because of something he read less then 2 hours ago.  
  
Earlier that same day  
  
Jarod turned the package over in his hand. When he looked up, he saw the incredible view of the Chicago skyline that his apartment afforded him. It was a lot more upscale then where he normally would crash. It was also downtown Chicago, you want upscale, you paid upscale. He had nice 3-bedroom condominium that the Centre had generously paid for. He wasn't in Chicago for any particular reason. The last time he had been so busy helping his friend the DJ he didn't get to enjoy Chicago very much. This time, he thought he could have some of the famous Chicago-style pizza, and enjoy some of the sights. Hit the famed Art Institute of Chicago.  
  
Zoë had called it a vacation. He thought about Zoë, and the vacation they had planned to go on and sighed. It had been before he found out he and Parker shared a brother. Then they had to rescue him from Mr. Raines and Project 7677. They had to survive the bomb blast themselves. Then she had been kidnapped to get to him. It had just been too much for her. After his father had rescued her they had stayed at a hotel. The next morning she had been gone and only a note left to him. His father had scanned it and sent it to his secure e-mail. She had said she wasn't ready, yet, to fight the people that were always pursuing him. She needed some time. She would contact him when she was ready to talk.  
  
He looked back down at the envelope in front of him. He was amazed he even got it. Last week, before he wrapped up his last pretend in Oregon, he had called the DJ just to say hi. His friend then said he had a letter for him. Jarod chuckled at the wild goose chase he would be putting his pursuers on, when they got there. They would be going up and down the West Coast for about three weeks. That would definitely wear out the heels of Parker's favorite high-heeled shoes.  
  
He sat down on one of his black leather chairs and opened the courier's envelope. His eyebrows shot up as he realized whose handwriting this was.  
  
Mr. Parker's.  
  
According to Parker he hadn't been heard of since he jumped out of the plane. That had been about a month ago. Jarod thought, 'At least he threw Parker a bone about how he felt about her.'  
  
Jarod opened the letter and began to read;  
  
Dear Jarod,  
  
I bet you never thought I'd be writing to you. They say confession cleanses the soul. This is my feeble attempt at that. You and my Angel need to find out the truth about your lives, and the relationship you have shared. I'm sending you this letter earlier then my Angel's. She will be receiving her exactly one month from the day of my funeral service. I don't expect you'll have shed too many tears for me. Your letter is timed to go out two weeks earlier. I'm assuming it will take approximately that long to for you to find it. I thought I would send it to Chicago. I know you keep in touch with some of your various pretends. The DJ, the boy with your brother's heart, JR. I know what you think of me Jarod. I know I'm not a good man. My Angel, she has something special with you. She always has. Jarod, what I'm about to tell you, I've never told anyone else. Some of this I've told Angel in her letter. I'm sure you'll compare notes later.  
  
Jarod, I want you to know, that at one time the Centre did a great deal of good. After WWII, though the attitude changed. The Triumvirate came into power & brought with it something dark, and evil. All of a sudden we had money pouring in for research. The customers wanted answers, and didn't ask questions as to how we got them. We tried traditional research, but it didn't get the customers the answers as quickly as they wanted them. We were running out of time. When Dr. Raines happened upon the genetic anomaly of the pretender, we thought it was a godsend. The Centre got into bed with NuGenesis. It was how we could scan for the anomaly. Then test the children that had it. Your parents both had this genetic anomaly. When they came to us for help in having a child, we thought it would be easy to persuade them into letting you go to a special school. Your intelligence was obvious from the start. We broached the idea to your parents about sending you away to a special school. Your parents both agreed they didn't want some one else raising you. Six months later, we took you. I suppose we justified it to ourselves that we would be giving you a better life. When your brother Kyle also started showing signs, we took him as well. Your parents then disappeared. They hid themselves very well. I don't need to tell you what would have been done to them, if they had been found. You also know what would have happened to you sister, had we found her. We wanted you so badly Jarod. I know you know that you weren't the first or the last. I've included a key to a safe deposit box in the envelope. In that box you will find more information about your family. There is also information in the locked box that I'm giving my daughter. I've instructed her to share it with you. Do with it as you see fit. Jarod, I'd like to sincerely apologize for what happened to Kyle. I know it probably doesn't mean much to you but I am sorry.  
  
Jarod, My Angel is going to need your help. I've told her I was involved with Thomas's death. This probably hasn't hit her yet as I told her a lot in her letter. She may need you to help her through it. You are the only one she trusts outside the Centre. The baby, Angel delivered as Brigitte was dying, is not my son. Evan Thomas is your son. Yours and my Angel's. When she nearly died of the ulcer perforation. The Triumvirate ordered some of her eggs to be harvested. Since Raines had screwed up Ethan too much for the Centre to use. The Triumvirate decided to try for another Mirage. Instead of using Catherine's DNA and your fathers, they used yours and Eve's. They thought they would be hitting the genetics jackpot, with a child of your shared genes. Jarod, I know you are furious with us playing God, yet again, with your genetics. I swear to you, Angel won't know about this until she reads her letter. You know my Angel. She'd kill anyone who stood between her and her child. I'm instructing her to take some time off and find you. So you can both spend time with your son. I trust you to keep both my daughter and my grandson safe.  
  
Jarod, I'm trusting you with the information that Raines is not her father. Lyle isn't her twin brother, Angelo is. I also think Sydney might be her father. For her and Sydney's safety don't reveal this to Raines or Lyle. Right now her life depends on the fact that Raines thinks of her as his. Jarod, I especially trust you to get them the hell out of there if Eve or Evan's safety is ever at risk.  
  
Jarod I think you and my daughter could make the Centre what it once was. A place that helped families have children. We helped children with special abilities use there gifts for the greater good. If you are unable to do this, then destroy it and anyone who gets in your way. There are less then a handful of people there that I trust. Sydney, Mr. Broots, and Sam the sweeper my daughter uses. I believe his first loyalty is to her, not the Centre.  
  
I don't know if you and my Angel will be able to live a normal life together. I am sure you'll find a way of dealing with each other, for your son's sake at least. I'm running late to meet with Raines and Lyle. We're going to meet up with you two in Scotland. Be safe Jarod. Be as happy as you can be, you deserve all of it. I know you feel you are to blame for us corrupting your research. You aren't, we are. When the time comes to answer to whatever higher power there is for what was done, we'll be the one paying the piper, not you.  
  
Cain Parker.  
  
Present time  
  
Jarod stood at the window, with his arms crossed, looking down at the city. In a few hours he would be holding his son. It had been a few hours since he first called Parker about this whole mess. He wanted to weep with what the Centre had done to him, this time. He also laughed to himself. The Centre had really shot themselves in the foot this time. Hell hath no fury like Parker betrayed. The ringing of his cell phone snapped him out of his own thoughts.  
  
"Hello" he answered cautiously.  
  
"Jarod? We'll be landing in about an hour at the O'Hare airport. The flight number is 377 on United. Where do you want to meet?" she spoke rapidly.  
  
Jarod could tell she was still running on pure adrenaline.  
  
"How about the baggage claim? Even with Evan they won't let me meet you at the gate. Where are you flying in from?" Jarod asked while filing the flight number in his photographic memory.  
  
"Baltimore. Evan you can't chew on Mom's sleeve. Jarod you'll have something in your refrigerator besides Pez and Twinkies won't you? Jarod? Are you there?" Parker asked worriedly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here. Can I talk to him?" he asked expectantly.  
  
"Evan say 'hi' to Daddy" he heard her say.  
  
"Daddy?" he heard his son ask in a small questioning voice.  
  
"Hi Evan. This is Daddy. You and your Mommy are going to spend some time with me. Ok?" Jarod said nervously his voice catching a little.  
  
"OK Daddy. Bye-Bye. Mommy here." Evan said waving into the phone.  
  
"Jarod?"  
  
"I'm still here Parker."  
  
"You can call me Eve, Jarod. Our son is confused enough I don't want him not knowing what to call me." Parker said resignedly, sitting back in her seat.  
  
"Evie, did you bring your father's papers?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Yes I brought everything that was in the box. Together, maybe we can sort out this whole mess. We will need to do some serious planning. Jarod do me a favor. I'm starving. Can you order in from a restaurant and have it get there after you pick us up?" she inquired hopefully.  
  
"Since you'll be in Chicago. How about some Italian? I can order it right before I leave. What do you want?" Jarod shook his head at the idea of Parker wanting real food. "I don't care. Just get Evan plain spaghetti. I don't know how he'll react to spicier food. I don't know anything about him and he is my - our son." She said worriedly.  
  
"Evie, we'll get to know him. I'll see you in an hour." Jarod said calmly, belying how he felt at the moment.  
  
"See you in an hour." She said, hanging up the phone.  
  
As he disconnected the call he heard a ring from the desk. It was his videophone. As he hit the button to activate it, the face of his little brother Ethan appeared.  
  
"Ethan, How, no Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you. Your sister said you had disappeared." Jarod said, almost stumbling over the words.  
  
Ethan grinned and then looked at him with his deep brown troubled eyes. "Actually, my sister is why I'm calling you. Have you heard from her? The voices told me to go to her. She needed her family. They didn't say why. But, when I got to her house it was dark, and her car was gone."  
  
"Ethan your sister is fine. I know where she is. I can't tell you right now where she is. I don't know how secure this line is. She is upset. Call me tomorrow on my cell. I'll tell you then where we are and where you can meet us. Do you still have the number?" Jarod asked, trying to reassure his younger brother about his sister's safety.  
  
"We'll need to talk soon. The voices are telling me soon we'll have all we need to destroy the Centre." Ethan said.  
  
"Ok. Call me tomorrow and we'll work it out."  
  
"Talk to you then." Ethan said as his disconnected the line.  
  
Jarod watched as the screen faded. He checked his watch. He had about 45 minutes before her plane came in. He thought about what she said, about food. He called an Italian restaurant that he knew delivered. He ordered and asked that the food be delivered in about 2 hours. He then saw the cupboards were pretty bare except for his junk food. He got online and ordered a whole bunch of nutritious food and coffee. To be delivered tomorrow morning. Good thing he already had dishes and everything else needed.  
  
He then grabbed his black leather jacket, keys, and wallet as he walked out of the apartment. He took the elevator to the underground parking and got into the silver Toyota Corolla he was using and headed toward O'Hare. Due to the fact that it was late at night, he got a good parking space. He also saw he was a bit early, but when he checked the monitor to see how much longer her flight would be, he saw her plane had already landed and she would be claiming their bags at baggage claim 8. They would be here any minute. Jarod didn't remember ever having been this nervous before.  
  
"Jarod?" he heard her voice from behind him.  
  
He looked at her and saw the effort it was taking for her to keep it together. He looked at the toddler she carried. He was definitely his mother's son. He had her bright blue eyes, and her habit of looking like she owned the world. When he smiled, Jarod saw he had his own dimples and jaw line. He had dark hair, but Jarod bet there would be some red in it like his mothers. Evan though, had definitely inherited Jarod's own innate curiosity of the world around him. Judging by the way he kept looking around at everything and smiling. Parker came to a stop right in front of him. Jarod hadn't seen that look in her eyes since Thomas died. This time he did what she wouldn't have allowed then. He put his arms around both of them and just held her. He felt her instinctively stiffen up and then felt her body relax as she allowed the embrace, and momentarily returned it. They felt something on their backs, looking up they saw that Evan was patting both of his parents back with his small hands.  
  
"Momma, Daddy Ok?" Evan asked with a big smile.  
  
They looked at him, then at each other and grinned.  
  
"We are good buddy. Why don't we get a cart for the luggage, and let Mommy sit for a minute?" He asked taking Evan out of her arms. He gave her a nudge toward the bench that sat by the baggage carrel.  
  
He and Evan got a cart and headed back to her.  
  
"So Evan did you have fun on the plane. Did the airline attendants think you were cute? He asked conversationally.  
  
"O course dey thought I was cute. I'm a handsome boy." Evan said confidently. As only a toddler and the son of Parker could be.  
  
"He gets that from you." Parker and Jarod both said simultaneously. They looked at each other and started laughing. Evan didn't get the joke, but laughed too.  
  
"I guess there is no doubt who his parents are? I'm so exhausted. Keep an eye on him while I grab our bags." Parker instructed as she headed toward the carrel to grab the bags.  
  
"Yes Ma'am." Jarod gave her a salute.  
  
"Sorry. I'm used to giving orders, and knowing where I'm going." Parker apologized with a genuine smile.  
  
"Evie, we'll figure this out."  
  
"How? Jarod it has been you run I chase for 5 years. How can they ask me to hunt down the father of my son? I helped bring him into this world. For the past 2 years I've been thinking of him as my brother. They took him from me." Parker said in a voice barely controlled. She looked at Evan, who was staring back at her with her own eyes. "You should have seen Raines' face, when I told him I was taking Evan. I told him if he tried to stop me I'd bring in the police. That the law would be on my side, and if that wasn't enough to scare the sh- you know what out of him. I told him I'd go to the Triumvirate with some information on his last dirty deal or two. I also told him I had already made out a will giving Evan to someone else if anything happened to me. But, I was bluffing big time so remind me to see a lawyer while I'm here. Evan must be protected at all costs." Parker said as she put their suitcases on the cart.  
  
Jarod put his arm around her shoulders and pushed the cart in the direction of the exit. When they reached his car, he put the luggage, car seat and Evan in the back seat.  
  
"Parker rest. We'll deal with it as it comes." Jarod slid into his seat and buckled the seatbelt.  
  
"So, what warehouse are we in this time. Hopefully, somewhere there aren't any chemicals Evan can get into." Parker said jokingly.  
  
"Actually the Centre has nicely provided me with a 3 bedroom 2 bath Condominium of Michigan Avenue. I thought, since I was on vacation, I should splurge, or rather the Centre should splurge for me." Jarod gave her one of his own dimpled grins in reply.  
  
"Good. I was afraid we'd be camping out." Parker murmured as she rested her head against the headrest.  
  
Jarod pulled out form the parking space and exited the garage. He paid the fee and within thirty minutes arrived back at the condo. Evan and Parker were both asleep by the time he left the garage.  
  
"Evie, we're here" he gave her a slight shake. "I'll get Evan and the luggage. You grab the rest."  
  
"Ok." She agreed tiredly.  
  
Jarod got everything in the elevator and up to the floor where he was staying. As soon as he unlocked the door and got everyone inside, Parker plopped on the leather couch. She kicked her shoes off, in very un-Parker way. Jarod put her and Evan's things in the second bedroom. He took Evans jacket and shoes off.  
  
"You know right now I would kill for a cigarette," Parker groaned.  
  
"I thought you quit," Jarod looked at her concerned for her as always.  
  
"I did. Its days like this though I really want one. I'm not starting up again. I don't want to turn into Raines, toting an oxygen tank all over the place. Jarod do you have anything besides sugary cola in the house?"  
  
"I have some wine, but dinner should be here soon. Alcohol on an empty stomach isn't good for you ulcer," he said as the doorbell rang. "That is probably the food now"  
  
Jarod answered the door. He assumed, correctly that it was the food. He set the table and put the food out. He had a highchair as well.  
  
"Where did you get the highchair?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"The previous owners left it." he answered, putting Evan in it. "Ethan called. He was worried about you. He'll be calling tomorrow. We can have him meet us here in Chicago.  
  
"That is fine," she said rising of the couch. She sat down at the table. "Jarod this smells incredible." she placed food on her plate. She took some spaghetti cut it up in to smaller pieces and put it on Evan's plate. She handed him a spoon. He looked at it for a moment and then dug in gleefully. He actually managed to get some food in his mouth, the rest ended up on him.  
  
"At least he is enjoying it," Parker said wryly, trying not to wince at the site of her son covered in spaghetti sauce.  
  
"Parker, why don't you finish your dinner? Take a long, hot shower, and go to bed. I'll clean Evan up and put him in the bed with you." Jarod suggested to her. "Actually, it looks like he's got a head start on you already." Jarod pointed his fork in Evan's direction. Parker turned and saw that their son was already dozing off with his face and hands full of his spaghetti. "Go on take a shower. I'll clean him and the kitchen up. Anything else we have to discuss, can wait until we've had a good nights sleep." he said.  
  
"Ok." she said getting up, and putting her dishes in the sink. She then headed to the bedroom. She grabbed her favorite pajamas and headed to the shower.  
  
Twenty minutes later Jarod heard the shower go off and the doors of the bathroom and bedroom opening and closing. He had already cleaned up the kitchen by then. He then took Evan and himself into his bathroom. Jarod stripped them both down and climbed into the shower with his son. The water revived him and he had fun pulling at some of the hair on Jarod's chest.  
  
Thirty minutes later Evan was asleep on his fathers shoulder. Jarod stepped carefully out of the shower, wrapping them both in a large towel. On his bed, he found the diaper bag and some pj's for Evan. He quickly dressed him and pulled on some boxers. He then went into the bedroom where Parker was sleeping and laid Evan beside her. Near the wall, so he couldn't fall out of the bed. Jarod then turned out the lights, started the dishwasher, and climbed into his own bed. When he slipped down between the sheets, his eyes closed and didn't open again until morning.  
  
TBC 


	3. Part 3

Disclaimer: The Pretender characters don't belong to me. They belong to NBC and MTM etc. But definitely don't belong to me. No infringement is implied etc. etc. Author's note: The restaurant I use is a true restaurant in Seattle, WA. The tourist places they visit in Chicago are also real. Everything else is the product of my imagination including any other companies and complications the characters run into. Feed back wanted tigereyes320@hotmail.com  
My Dearest Angel  
  
By tigereyes320 Part 3 of 5  
Day 2  
  
Chicago, IL  
  
10 a.m.  
  
Miss Parker slowly felt herself waking up. As she came closer to consciousness, she realized she wasn't in her bed. She opened one blue eye and observed her surroundings. Then she opened the second as she heard sounds of laughter coming from the other side of the door. She sat up quickly and then lay back down. She was at Jarod's, in Chicago, with their son. Her eyes narrowed as she got out of bed and padded to the door.  
  
"Please let there be coffee," she thought to herself.  
  
"Hey Evan, look who finally woke up." Jarod said, " Good morning Evie."  
  
"Momma" Evan cried happily sloshing his cereal onto his highchair.  
  
"Good morning baby, Morning Jarod. Please let that be what I think it is." she said as she dropped a kiss on Evan's head and looked at the mug Jarod was holding out to her.  
  
"I know better then to greet you in the morning without coffee." Jarod teased. " I also have some bagels already toasted. You can have them with cream cheese. I could also make you some bacon and eggs, or you could have some cereal."  
  
"A bagel will be just fine, Jarod. Thank you," she said as she sat down at the table and drank deeply from the mug of coffee. She closed her eyes for a moment.  
  
"So, honey, what do you want to do today? We can talk and get settled into our new situation, or we can play tourist in Chicago." he asked as he handed her the bagel and cream cheese.  
  
"You want to explore Chicago with a toddler? Where would we go?" she asked almost choking on the bagel.  
  
"We could go to the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, or the Museum of Science and Industry," Jarod ticked the answers off on his fingers. "All we have to do is put him in a stroller."  
  
"Jarod we aren't exactly on a family vacation." Parker shook her head at the thought.  
  
"I know that. We are a family by fact if not by choice. We want to get to know our son and each other without the Centre interfering. What better way to do that? We can deal with all the crap the Centre has piled on us tomorrow. For once, you can actually see more of a city then my clues and the airstrip. I'm not here on a pretend. I was here for a vacation. I needed some down time. I have Lyle, Sydney and Broots on the West coast. We are as safe as we can get. Now did you pack anything that doesn't have a designer label on it? " Jarod paced the floor, while making his argument.  
  
"I brought mostly my casual stuff," Parker said as she stood up and walked over to the table where her wallet was resting and opened it. "I'll need to get more cash. I want to do some shopping for Evan and myself while I'm here. We'll have to buy a stroller. My house, Jarod I have to get some people working on my mother's studio to make it into Evan's nursery. No, he's too big for a nursery, but he needs his own room though. Maybe Sam can work on it for me while I'm here." Parker made a list in her head as her words almost ran over themselves in an effort to get out.  
  
"Evie, Stop!" Jarod laughed. "We have plenty of time for all of it. I've heard of a great toy store here in Chicago, FAO Schwitz."  
  
Parker rolled her eyes, "That is FAO Schwartz. There is also one in New York City. You want me to take two kids into a toy store. I'll never get out of there alive," she shook her head.  
  
"What two kids?" Jarod asked.  
  
"You and Evan, who else." she replied jokingly.  
  
A ringing phone cut off further conversation. They looked at each other.  
  
"That must be Ethan." Jarod said grabbing his phone. "Hi Ethan."  
  
"Hi Big Brother. Is everyone ok?" he asked worriedly.  
  
"Everyone is great. Why don't you come and join us? We'll have a family reunion." Jarod said, laughing to himself, at the way Evan was making faces at his mother while her back was turned.  
  
"Where are you guys?"  
  
"We're in Chicago. You can stay with your sister, your nephew, and me. You might also be able to help us with a puzzle we have." Jarod said thinking about all the stuff he and Parker still had to sort through.  
  
"Ok. It'll take me a few days to get there. Let me talk to my sister, please." Ethan requested  
  
Jarod hands Parker the phone "It's for you dear." he said in a syrupy voice.  
  
"Very funny." she snatched the phone from his hand. "Go, get Evan out of the highchair and clean him up. Hello Ethan."  
  
"Hello sis, are you all right? The voices - Her voice said you'd need me. What nephew?" he said carefully.  
  
"I'll be fine, Ethan. Jarod and I have a son. He was conceived as you were, without our knowledge. I only found this out myself yesterday. His name is Evan." hearing laughter she turned and saw Evan grabbing at the sideburns on Jarod's face. Jarod's eyes were nearly crossed in pain. "Evan, leave the hair on Daddy's face alone. Ethan you will come won't you. I was so worried when I found that unfinished note." she said.  
  
"I'm sorry for worrying you. I saw the men coming for my fath- Raines. I didn't think I should be there when they arrived." he explained.  
  
"I'm just glad you're safe. When will you get here?"  
  
"In a couple of days. Let me speak to Jarod again. I'll get the address."  
  
"Honey, it's for you," she said in her best Donna Reed voice, tossing him the phone.  
  
He caught it right before it hit him in the nose. "Ok Dear. Here, catch your son," as he tossed Evan to her.  
  
Evan shrieked with glee as his mother caught him and gave him a hug.  
  
"Again! Mommy Again!" He begged.  
  
"Maybe, later." She promised.  
  
"Kiss. Now!" He demanded  
  
Her heart melted as she gave him the demanded kiss. She hugged him close and swore to herself that nothing would ever come between her and her family. Which included, she admitted ruefully, Jarod. She was going to have to do some reevaluating of her priorities.  
  
"Let's get you dressed, baby boy," She said pressing her face into his neck.  
  
"I not baby. I a handsome big boy." He argued.  
  
"Yes, you are my handsome big boy. But, you'll always be my baby," she argued right back with a smile.  
  
"You my pretty Mommy." he said putting his hands on either side of her face and giving her a kiss.  
  
"Yes I'm your Mommy. No one will ever keep us apart again. When we get back to Mommy's house, you are getting your own room." she said just holding him close. Momma, I wish you could see you grandson, she thought.  
  
"You need any help?" Jarod asked, coming up from behind her and stroking Evan cheek. Evan grabbed at his father fingers. "I could change him while you get changed." he offered.  
  
"No, thanks Jarod. I need to do this. Do you think I can do this Jarod? Be a mother?" she asked half- terrified of the responsibility that lay ahead of her.  
  
"I think, that there isn't anything you couldn't do." he sincerely replied.  
  
"Thanks." she said as she took Evan back to their room to get changed.  
  
Twenty minutes later she emerged from the room behind Evan who was running toward his father on quick little legs.  
  
"Daddy," he said grabbing hold of Jarod's long legs. "Mommy says we need to go shopping. I have to have new shoes," he said jumping up and down.  
  
Jarod laughed. He picked up Evan and sat on the couch with him, still laughing. He laughed so hard his sides began to hurt.  
  
"What is so da-darned funny?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Evan. I think that statement alone qualifies him as your son. Only a child of yours would be concerned with their footwear," he said trying to keep a straight face.  
  
Her lips twitched, as she rolled her eyes. "Are you ready? I think I'd like to go shopping today. For clothes, and shoes. I want to get some toys for him. I didn't bring any of his. They can keep him occupied while we put together our puzzle," she said as she bent down to finish tying her own shoes.  
  
"Let's go." he picked Evan up and put his arms through his little windbreaker.  
  
"Here." she said as she tossed him his leather jacket. She shrugged in to her own leather jacket. "Let's get a stroller first. Do you think we'll be able to get the stuff delivered back here?"  
  
"If we pay for it, they will." he said as he followed her out the door.  
  
Portland, OR Around Same Time  
  
Lyle was looking around his surroundings. "Just what is Jarod is trying to tell us this time, Sydney?" he shook his head at the interior of the room. It was filled with canvases all signed by Jarod.  
  
"Lyle, I just told you what I felt Jarod was trying to do here. Forgive me for butting into your private life, but Are you all right? It's only been a month since your father, the man you considered your father died." Sydney asked in a soothing tone.  
  
"I don't know what is wrong with me." He said running his hand through his hair. "I don't know what's wrong with Parker either. I know she and I have never gotten along. Since the service, she won't stay five minutes in the same room as me. I invited her out to dinner last night. I thought maybe we could talk. She looked at me as if I had just asked her to be the main course, then she just stormed out. Now Raines says she is on vacation for the next 3 weeks." he paced the small room they were all in. "I wasn't any happier that Dad died. I feel even worse, knowing that the man, who stole me from my family, is in fact my father. Sydney, do you think I could have had a normal life? If I hadn't been taken away from my mother. If I hadn't been so miserable, maybe I wouldn't have sold myself to the devil incarnate." he said sounding almost wistful.  
  
Sydney and Broots both looked at Lyle in amazement. They had never though he was capable of feelings. The fact that he was now seemingly full of regrets astounded them. Maybe it wasn't too late for Lyle to prove he was human after all.  
  
Sydney walked over to where Lyle was standing. He was staring at a portrait Jarod had painted of a mother and her three children. Lyle was touching the mother's face. She looked a great deal like Catherine Parker. The fact that two of the children were older and one was a baby, Sydney realized Lyle saw himself in it.  
  
"Lyle, acknowledging and accepting that you can't change what you've done in your past, will go a long way with your sister. You can't undo the damage you've done to her, yourself, your foster family, or Jarod. Accepting that, and making an honest effort to be a better man, could start the long process of forgiving. Once she forgives you, she then can start trying to trust you. You will have to be prepared to fail many times, she doesn't trust easily under the best of circumstances. You haven't given her a reason to trust you. Trying would show, that you're making steps in becoming a son of Catherine Parker. A son she would be proud of." Sydney said trying to reach the miles of hurt in the man, to try and offer him some comfort.  
  
"She would have been ashamed of a son like me. A lying, murdering psychopath." Lyle spit out venomously.  
  
"What is causing this self-examination now? You've always maintained that you like your life just as it is?" Sydney questioned gently.  
  
"I was in my office yesterday, flirting with my secretary, when something inside me told me that I wasn't happy. It said I hadn't been happy for a very long time. It said if I wanted some happiness, I should ask my sister out to dinner." he shook his head, as he remembered the look of absolute disgust on Parkers face when he had asked her.  
  
Broots and Sydney looked at each other. Each thinking the same thing, he has Catherine's Inner sense.  
  
Sydney said "Lyle did you know that Catherine, sometimes heard voices that told her things would be happening. Your sister, and Ethan, you know him as Mirage, also seem to have these voices. You and Parker have always been trained though to ignore those voices."  
  
"Why would I she want to reach me? She didn't even know I was alive. If she were here now, she'd want nothing to do with me!" he said feeling strangely defeated.  
  
"M-Mr. Lyle, I never had the privilege of knowing your mother. From my work with Sydney, and your sister, I've feel as if I know her. I discovered one unchanging thing about Catherine Parker. She loved children unconditionally. She sacrificed everything for her daughter and the baby they forced on her, you can't tell me she wouldn't have sacrificed equally for you. I know she wouldn't have liked what you've done to people in your past. I think as your mother, she would have loved you regardless. It was the type of person she was, I think you ought to listen to that voice a lot more often." Broots said confidently.  
  
He jumped when he felt a hand slap him on the shoulder, "Thank you Broots, I just might do that. Lets get the sweepers to pack it all up. We can go through it at Blue Cove." Lyle said as he walked toward the door.  
  
"What is this?" Sydney asked as he pulled a small envelope from under one of the portraits. "It smells strongly of coffee," he said opening up the envelope. In it he found a napkin with Seattle Washington on it. He handed it to Mr. Lyle.  
  
"Let's get the jet ready," Lyle said as he walked out of the apartment with Sydney and Broots in tow.  
  
Chicago, IL 4:00 pm  
  
"My feet are killing me. I haven't had that much fun shopping in years." Parker said as she pushed the stroller, which was loaded with shopping bags, through the door.  
  
She flopped on the couch and kicked off her shoes. She, then looked up and watched as Jarod brought in Evan. The toddler was draped over his father's shoulder in complete exhaustion.  
  
She stood up and walked over to them, "Did I wear my baby out?" she crooned softly looking at Evan.  
  
"Yes, you did." Jarod said as he took off Evan's windbreaker and took him into the bedroom so he could finish his nap.  
  
He came back out and fell into one of the chairs in the living room.  
  
"I meant Evan, honey." she said tossing a pillow at him.  
  
"I know, sweetums." he said catching and tossing it right back at her.  
  
"I think we went a little crazy. He won't find the time to play with all the toys you got him. He'll probably outgrow half the things I bought him before he can even wear them." she said shaking her head.  
  
"Relax Evie, parents are allowed to go a bit crazy with their firstborns. Aren't you hungry? We could send out for a few pizzas and watch one of the video's we bought. How about E.T.?" Jarod offered  
  
"I could do pizza. Evan should be up in about an hour. Maybe we should try Toy Story first, for a video." she said her stomach grumbling in response to the idea of food.  
  
"I'll order the pizza."  
  
"Jarod, remind me before we leave, I'll have to buy Evan a larger suitcase." She grinned wryly.  
  
"Only Evan?" Jarod raised an eyebrow toward the bags, " I could have sworn, I saw at least a half a dozen pairs of shoes in those bags that would only fit you."  
  
Parker stuck out her tongue, "So I bought a few pairs of shoes for myself. I did buy a bunch of really cool clothes for Debbie. Broots hasn't a clue what a 14-year-old needs. He just asks that I keep the leather down to a minimum." She started taking things out of the shopping bags.  
  
"What do you want on your pizza, Evie?" Jarod called from the kitchen.  
  
"Anything except anchovies and spicy sausage. Get one pizza with just cheese for Evan." Parker was still busily dividing the clothes in three piles, hers, Evans' and Debbie's'.  
  
"Pizza will be here in about 45 minutes." Jarod handed her a glass of deep red wine.  
  
"Thanks, You look really wiped." She sat on what space was left on the sofa and looked at him, with a bemused expression on her face.  
  
"Someone had to keep Evan occupied so he didn't keep peeking under the dressing room doors. It was cute when he did it to you. He was about to start on the next one, when I caught him and held him, while his mother tried on clothes for hours." Jarod complained with his eyes closed. He opened one in a plea for sympathy and saw her shaking her head at him.  
  
"Now you know how I felt in the toy store, with 2 children asking me for everything insight. His father so enraptured by some of the toys I had to pull him from the store." Parker said putting her feet on the low table in front of the sofa.  
  
He grinned, "I don't know who you could be talking about." Jarod fought a grin as he took a sip of wine. He ducked as she threw a pillow at him  
  
Seattle, Washington About the same time  
  
"Broots, how many Starbucks are there in Seattle?" Lyle asked coming off the tarmac, away from the jet.  
  
"Uh - 71." Broots cautiously gave him the information. Lyle after all had a temper just a couple of notches below Parker's.  
  
"71!"Lyle rolled his eyes, " Jarod is having us visit 71 of these coffee places to find our next clue?"  
  
"Unless the coffee stain is a particular kind, special to only one or two stores. We'll be visiting all 71."  
  
"Lets get started. We might as well check into the hotel and eat. We'll start first thing tomorrow morning." Lyle climbed into the rented black Lincoln Continental with Sydney and Broots. "Broots, I hope you arranged for someone to watch your Debbie, we could be out here several days."  
  
Broots managed to keep his jaw from hitting the floor in shock. He and Sydney exchanged looks of amazement. Lyle was asking about Debbie? Lyle was acknowledging his daughter even existed. "Debbie is staying with her cousins, for the next few weeks. When she gets back Parker has promised to go shopping with her. Parker says I don't have the fashion sense to take a teenager clothes shopping." Shaking his head, "I just hope this time she not decked out in leather from head to toe."  
  
Sydney chuckled, "I bet you never thought asking Parker to watch Debbie that one time would result in a friendship like this."  
  
"I don't think, anything can prepare you for Parker." Broots leaned back against the seat. He noticed Lyle acting preoccupied. "Mr. Lyle, I hope I don't put my foot in it. Are you ok? No disrespect intended, but since when have you cared whether or not I have daycare for my little girl? When have you shown any emotion toward the people around you, and what they are feeling? All of a sudden you're worried about your sister, and my daughters welfare. You're asking Sydney for advice, on what he thinks your mother would think of you. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, or Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Could you please not kill me for what just came out of my mouth?" Broots realized he had actually spoken this diatribe aloud.  
  
"Broots, I'm not going to kill you. I must be going through some kind of midlife crisis." Lyle absently responded, as he maneuvered the car smoothly between lanes on the highway.  
  
"Perhaps, what you are feeling is a loss of the connection you felt with Mr. Parker. He was the man, who claimed you as his son. He gave you a family. You had a sister, who while her father was alive tolerated you. You were finally part of something bigger then yourself. Regardless of the fact, that you tried to double cross that family at every turn. You had a family." Sydney offered as an explanation. Secretly pondering over what Lyle could be up to this time.  
  
"I wasn't given a family, Sydney. I took a family. They were never mine. I'm not Parker's brother. Raines told me to switch the results of a test you were conducting Broots. I wasn't aware at the time what was being tested. Truth is, I wouldn't have cared. I hadn't been useful to the Centre. If I had to do over again I would. You see Sydney, I have no family." Lyle confessed pulling into the hotel called, the Inn at the Market.  
  
"Lyle, maybe we should discuss this in more detail. Possibly over dinner?" Sydney asked unsure of how to proceed into this unfamiliar territory that Lyle had placed them all in. "It might give you some peace of mind."  
  
"I'll think about it Sydney." Lyle said as he strode out of the car. Sydney and Broots followed him into the inn.  
  
While they waited to be checked in, Lyle pulled out his cell phone. He dialed his sisters' number. He got her voice mail after three rings. "Parker, when you get this message. Call me. Please. I need to talk to you about something important. We're in Seattle right now. Chasing Jarod, of course. You can reach me on my cell. This isn't a trick or a ploy. I just need you to call me back." Lyle ended the call before he could really beg.  
  
After checking in, he went to his suite. He had left a wakeup call to be sent to his room in two hours. He had a message sent to Sydney's room, that he would call Sydney in a couple of hours if he wanted to meet for dinner. He put his things away in the closet and in the bathroom. It was a good thing they always kept extra clothes on the jet. He shrugged out of my navy blue suit jacket, kicked off his shoes, and took off the tie. He unbuttoned his light blue shirt a couple of buttons, and lay down on the bed. Lyle reached over to the other side of the queen-sized bed and grabbed the pillow, putting it behind his head and closed his eyes.  
  
The dream was getting to be all too familiar. He was in a room that was all white. He was lying on the bed hooked up to a couple of monitors. When he looked over to the side of his bed, there she was: Catherine Parker. The woman he truly wished was his mother. She was sitting in a rocking chair with a fluffy lavender shawl around her shoulders that covered the white dress she wore. She was reading a book, humming softly as the chair slowly rocked back and forth.  
  
When she saw that he had opened his eyes, she leant across to pull the covers up to his shoulders. "What are you doing here, Catherine?" he said reaching out to try and touch her face.  
  
She grabbed his hand and brushed it against her cheek, it was wet from tears. "My sweet boy, what have they done to you?" she murmured. She reached over and brushed the hair off of his forehead. "Momma's here, and they won't hurt you any more."  
  
"Why are you here with me . . . Mom?" he said hesitantly as his eyes absorbed the way she looked at him. It was if she loved him, like a mother.  
  
"I'm always here, especially when one of my children need me." Catherine answered as she leaned over and kissed his forehead.  
  
"But, I'm not your son. I switched the results. Angelo, Timmy is your son, he is Parker's brother. I don't have you, or anyone else for a mother." Lyle protested vehemently.  
  
"You are my son. I just didn't know about you when I was alive. I couldn't reach you until recently. You didn't want to be helped. You didn't think you deserved to be saved." Catherine held tight to his hand. "Your sister will be able to help you. So will your brothers and you nephew. You have the family you have always wanted, my sweet boy. You just have to reach out and hold onto it. You can't put the Centre first anymore. The lies that are told there are monumental. Your sister will need you soon. Be there for her. Help her finish my work. I love you my sweet boy." With a final kiss to his cheek, she glided out the door and into the brightly lit hallway.  
  
"Mom!" Lyle called frantically, "MOM!"  
  
Lyle bolted straight up in bed. The phone rang as his mind was cleared of the dreams.  
  
"What?" Lyle asked, his tone reminiscent of Parker's.  
  
"Mr. Lyle, you requested a wake up call." The receptionist sweet voice reminded him.  
  
"Yes, Thank you. Could you pleas, put down another request for tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m.?"  
  
"Certainly, Mr. Lyle, you have a pleasant evening." The receptionist hung up.  
  
Lyle dialed Sydney's room.  
  
"This is Sydney." Sydney answered.  
  
"Did you still want to meet for dinner?" Lyle asked not bothering to identify himself.  
  
"That would be fine when do you want to meet?"  
  
"Let's meet in the lobby in an hour. I'll see if I can get us reservations at the restaurant downstairs." Lyle suggested, as if he went out to dinner every night with Sydney.  
  
"That would be fine. I'll see you in an hour." Sydney said hanging up the phone.  
  
Lyle called the concierge, and made arrangements to have dinner at 6:00. He then got off the bed, and padded into the bathroom. He stripped off his clothes, and took a shower. When he got out he decided he needed to shave again. Lyle splashed on a bit of Cool Water cologne. He then got dressed, this time in a black suit with sapphire blue shirt. He tied his silk sapphire blue, white, and black tie, all the while avoiding his own reflection. He looked up for a moment to see his own reflection. One day he thought, I'm going to like what I see in the mirror. He grabbed his wallet and his key as he left the room.  
  
Lyle walked up to Sydney in the lobby.  
  
"We have reservations for 6. They are supposed to have an excellent sea bass. Shall we go, or are we waiting for Broots?" Lyle gestured for Sydney to follow him.  
  
"Broots is in the midst of a call from Debbie. He said after he spoke with her, he wanted to get online and chat with some of his buddies. When he was done, he planned to just order some room service." Sydney said as his phone rang. "Go ahead without me I'll be right there."  
  
Lyle went into the restaurant so they wouldn't give the reservation away.  
  
"This is Sydney." He answered.  
  
"Sydney, It's me," Parker said. "Are you able to talk?"  
  
"Actually, Lyle and I were just about to have dinner Parker. Why don't I call you in an hour or two? If that's all right?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yes that's fine. Don't tell Lyle who it was on the phone. You can reach me on my cell. I'll try and explain some of this when you call back." Parker said as she ended the call.  
  
"Be sure you will Parker." Sydney stared at the phone for a moment, before following Lyle into the restaurant.  
  
Chicago, IL Around the same time  
  
Parker hung up the phone. She smiled as she saw Jarod and Evan eating pizza. Evan was doing his best to get some pizza in Jarod's mouth. It just didn't seem to make it.  
  
"I'm going to have to buy a camera. I'll need it for Kodak moments like this." Parker said raising one of her eyebrows and smiling.  
  
"Was Sydney not able to talk?" Jarod asked as he watched her walk over to them.  
  
She shook her head, as she picked up Evan and took him to the sink to clean him up. "No, he said he was joining Lyle for dinner, believe it or not. I think something is up. Sydney didn't even ask where I was?" Parker threw the washcloth she had just used to clean Evan's face and hands into the sink. "Lets get you changed into your pj's, buddy. Then you and Mommy, and Daddy are going to watch one of your new movies. Jarod can you grab the stuff on the sofa and put it in the spare bedroom. I'll sort it out tomorrow." She asked as she took Evan into their room.  
  
Jarod got up and put the dishes in the dishwasher, and he put the leftover pizza in the fridge. He then started the DVD player and put in the movie Toy Story Parker called it. As the promos came on he dumped all off Parkers shopping booty on the bed in the other bedroom. He shook his head as he looked at the pile of clothes. I hope she realizes this is where Ethan will be sleeping, he thought.  
  
"Jarod do you have any popcorn?" Parker called form the living room.  
  
"Just the microwave kind," Jarod said as he walked down the hall to the living room. "Did you want me to make some?"  
  
"Yeah, that would be great." Parker said as she arranged herself and Evan on the sofa.  
  
She put his blanket to the side, as she doubted Evan would make it through the whole movie. She also put her cell phone on the table. Jarod had already put a scrambler on it, if they tried to trace any of her calls. Momma, she thought, I wish you could see him. My son, he's got our eyes and Jarod's smile. I wish I knew where to go from here. How am I going to raise him properly? How can I show him how to be a good person, when I work in the midst of all that is evil, at the Centre? What will he think of me when he realizes my job, for the past 5 years, has been to hunt down his father? How will I face him, when I have to tell him for us to live a normal life, I have to have his father locked up like a rat. Please help me Momma.  
  
She snapped out of her thoughts as she saw a huge bowl of popcorn in front of her. She took the bowl as Jarod sat down with two glasses and a smaller cup, full of a brownish liquid. "I'm telling you right now, if that is a wheat grass shake, you'll be wearing it in a minute."  
  
Jarod smiled as he sat back on the sofa, "Relax, Evie it's just apple cider. It goes good with popcorn.  
  
They both sat back to watch the movie with their sun.  
  
Seattle, WA Campagne Restaurant  
  
Sydney followed the waiter as he led him to the table where Lyle was sitting. It was a window table overlooking Elliot's Bay. Lyle had a glass of white wine in front of him.  
  
"Sydney, I hope you don't mind, but I already ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I figured it would go well with whatever, we order." Lyle said as Sydney sat down and accepted a menu from the waiter.  
  
"That's fine," Sydney said as he looked up at the waiter. "What do you recommend?"  
  
"Well, The foie gras parfait is an excellent choice for an hors d'oeurve. I personally recommend the cold lobster salad. For an entrée it depends what you like. If you prefer fish, our Striped Bass filet is excellent. The grilled Sea Scallops are perfection if seafood is your choice. We also have a chestnut stuffed pork chop or a dry marinated rack of lamb. Your wine selection, of Pinot Grigio, works well with any of the entrees." The waiter said expertly. He stood expectantly for their order.  
  
"I think I'll go with your suggestion of the Lobster Salad and the Grilled Sea Scallops. Could I also get some coffee with that? Lyle, how about you?" Sydney asked as he handed the menu back to the waiter.  
  
I think I'll have the Lobster salad as well. I think for an entrée I'd prefer the stuffed pork chop. I'd also like some coffee." Lyle said matter of factly, handing back the menu.  
  
"Excellent choices sirs. I'll have your coffee brought along momentarily." The waiter gave a quick nod of acknowledgement, and took his leave.  
  
"What did my sister want, when she called you?" Lyle asked Sydney casually.  
  
Sydney raised an eyebrow, "She didn't say. I plan to call her later this evening. I want to make sure she's all right. Why do you ask? Before you answer that, I'd like an answer to a different question. What did you mean when you said you switched the results?" The look in Sydney's eye left no doubt, as he wanted a truthful answer.  
  
Lyle sighed, "Raines had me switch the information being tested. My information and Angelo's. That way when Broots ran the tests, I would come up as the missing Parker heir. I'd like to say I had no idea what was going on. Lets face it I was on borrowed time at the Centre. I knew I was only there because Mr. Parker had called in every favor owed him and then some, to get me reinstated. He would only have done this if it was mentioned to him that I might be his son." Lyle took a long drink from his glass of wine.  
  
"Lyle." Sydney began.  
  
"I know Sydney," Lyle interrupted. "Don't you think I would love to have the Centre's patron saint as my mother? THE Catherine Parker. I've heard what everyone thought of her, from the Triumvirate to her daughter. If I thought for one second, I actually came from something that good. Hope, that I could actually be something other then the monster Raines has helped turn me into. All I do is fantasize that she is my mother. It's played havoc with my life. How else do you explain the -." Lyle suddenly broke off his diatribe and averted his eyes from Sydney's. Damn but it felt good to get this off of his chest.  
  
"Explain the what, Lyle?" Sydney asked sipping his coffee, that the waiter had discreetly left at their table.  
  
"Excuse me gentlemen," the waiter said as he placed their salads in front of them. He also placed a basket of warm rolls and butter to the side of table. "Enjoy your food. Let me know if there is anything I can get for you."  
  
He waited for their nods before leaving.  
  
"You were about to explain something to me Lyle?" Sydney's tone was courteous but firm.  
  
Lyle ran his fingers through his hair. "Sydney you can't want to hear me out, or help me through this. I nearly killed your son, Nicholas. If Jarod hadn't been there, I probably would have killed him. I have done some of the most reprehensible crimes. Why would you want to help me? Why would you care?"  
  
Sydney looked at him for a moment and said frankly, "I have my reasons. The fact that you care what I or anyone else thinks of you is one of them. Now, Explain the what?"  
  
"I've been having this dream. I'm in a room that is all white. I'm hooked up to some monitors. I think I'm in the hospital. When I turn my head, Catherine is there. She is sitting by my bed in rocking chair, reading a book and humming to herself. She was just where you would expect any mother to be, if her son was in the hospital. I ask her what she is doing there. She calls me her sweet boy." Lyle shakes his head in disbelief at that. "She tells me I am her son. She says my sister, brothers, and nephew will help me be the man, she knows I can become. She kisses my cheek and tells me to help my sister finish her work. My head has got to be making this up. I want so badly to be her son, I'm making myself believe I have her Inner Sense." Lyle picked up his fork and began attacking his salad.  
  
Sydney took a few bites of food and a sip of wine before he addressed Lyle's concerns.  
  
"Lyle did you know that Catherine parker and her husband tried Invitro- fertilization? There is a possibility that you could be her son. I'm not sure who your father could be. When your sister comes back from vacation. We should get Jarod to test all of you. If Catherine's saying you're her son, she is probably revealing this to you know for a couple of reasons. One, you're open to the idea of love and family. Two, you're having genuine regret for the path you've been following up until now." Sydney said quite matter-of-factly.  
  
"Why Jarod?"  
  
"I would trust Jarod's results. The Centre has a way of bending results to suit their purposes."  
  
Lyle and Sydney fell into a companionable silence and finished their salads. After they ate the entrees that they had requested. They both ordered a ginger brulee for dessert.  
  
After it arrived Lyle asked "What are we going to tell my sister about this, when you call her later?"  
  
"I think I'll see what she has to say first. I'm interested in why she needed an immediate vacation." Sydney replied spooning some of the brulee into his mouth.  
  
"I wonder what Mom meant about my nephew. As far as I know Angelo Ethan and Parker are all childless." Lyle suddenly questioned. "You don't think that Parker's pregnant do you?"  
  
"I don't catalog your sister's sexual activities Lyle. I don't think she's pregnant. She might have found out that the Centre made her a mother without informing her. I've suspected for some time the Centre may have used her in such a way."  
  
"How could they have used her?" Lyle demanded.  
  
"Think back when she almost died of the ulcer perforation. They could have taken her eggs then. What child do we know that was born a little over a year after that occurrence?" Sydney asked.  
  
"The only child I know of is my bro-," Lyle broke off as realization dawned. "Evan. Oh my God! NO! They wouldn't have used Parker to deliver her own son would they? Having Parker inadvertently handing her child over to the Centre. I'll bet Parker is beyond angry. The Triumvirate is going to regret doing that to her. I wonder who the father is?" Lyle paused in the midst of his reflection of the situation. "Jarod! I wonder if she and Jarod are with their son right now? What do you think Sydney?"  
  
"I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she Evan and Jarod were together. I wish them some peace. They won't have any when she returns." Sydney said as he finished his dessert.  
  
Lyle motioned for the check and placed his platinum visa on it. The waiter took it away to calculate it and bring back the receipt to sign. After signing his name and giving the waiter a generous tip, Lyle turned to Sydney, "Will you tell her whether she needs my support or not she has it 100%. She won't care, but I want her and Jarod to know they can depend on me. I'll come through for my family this time." With that he turned on his heel and walked out of the resturant.  
  
"I'll be sure to do that Lyle. She's going to need her family to get through this." Sydney arose from the table and followed Lyle out of the resturant.  
  
Chicago, IL A little bit later  
  
Miss Parker smiled as the credits rolled on the screen of the television. She looked down at Evan, who was sound asleep, snuggled between his parents. His unwavering trust in them, to keep him safe was so obvious. She brushed his hair off of his forehead. She came in contact with Jarod's fingers that were stroking their son's cheek. He grabbed her hand and linked their fingers before she could pull them away. She looked up to see him staring intensely at her.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"I'm going to promise you something. Evan will always be safe from the Centre." Jarod said solemnly.  
  
"You can't promise that Jarod. If something were to happen to me-." Parker broke off realizing if that happened, her son would be reliving her life.  
  
"If anything were to happen to you, I'd take him and disappear. The Centre would never find us. I would give up my Do Gooding and even my search for my family. I swear to you he will not grow up like you and I did! Will you promise me something?" Jarod looked directly into her eyes.  
  
She gave him a half smile. "What do you want me to promise?" she asked half- afraid of what he would ask.  
  
"If anything ever happens to me. You'll disappear. You'll take Evan and raise him some place safe far away from the Centre. Promise me that?" he gave a tug on their still linked fingers.  
  
"I promise that I'll move heaven and earth to keep our son safe." Parker said looking directly into his eyes.  
  
Before she could take he hand away, he raised their hands and kissed the back of hers.  
  
"Thank you," Jarod said sincerely. "Since Sydney should be calling you back soon. I'll put Evan to bed." Jarod lifted Evan into his arms  
  
Parker kissed Evan's forehead as Jarod went by to put him in their bedroom.  
  
"Lub you Momma." Evan murmured.  
  
"I love you too, baby." Parker watched as Jarod cradled him gently. She knew it would be a while before Jarod came back. He loved to watch Evan sleep.  
  
The phone rang insistently she snatched it up. "What?" she said in an almost pleasant voice.  
  
"Good evening Parker." Sydney replied.  
  
"Sydney! How is the chase going without me?" she smiled as she thought of the three of them, half a continent away, chasing the man who was in the next room.  
  
"I think you know how the chase is going. How is your vacation? Are you having a good time with Evan and Jarod?" Sydney asked as he waited for the explosion.  
  
"We're having a great time. Wait a minute! How the hell did you know I'm with Jarod and Evan? Who told you? Sydney I swear to God, if you have endangered the life of my son. I'll kill you and anyone else who comes after him." Parker all but shouted as her temper exploded. Just as Sydney knew it would.  
  
Sydney waited until she was breathing normally into the phone before he continued, "So Evan is your son with Jarod. When did you find out?"  
  
"In a letter from Daddy. Quite a bit of information was in that letter, Syd. Including the fact that either you or Jacob is my real father. Angelo's my twin, not Lyle. Which is one favor I'm thanking God for. So, are you?" she demanded, "Are you my real father, Sydney? Or was it Jacob? Tell me it was you. Tell me Raines didn't order me to kill my own Father. Tell me I didn't watch my own father die, not knowing I was his daughter. Sydney!" she begged not caring that there were tears running down her face. She thought back to Raines ordering her to smother Jacob. She also remembered Sydney playing home movies for him at the cabin before he died.  
  
Sydney paused and softly said, "Miss Park- Eve, I don't know the answer to that particular question. I do know, that Jacob and your mother had only a platonic relationship. I also did have an affair with your mother. It was before she became my patient. The only time I asked your mother about it, she vehemently denied that I was the father. She said she and your father had reconciled and the baby, you, was his. If you like we can be tested to prove it. Before I tell you some of my news, you need to hear this. First of all, nothing would make me prouder then to find out you are my daughter. Eve, Lyle isn't your twin, but he may be your brother. We all need to get tested, to make sure." Sydney said all this carefully, wishing he were there with her to hold her as her father, not a friend. He also knew that she was still processing a lot of the information and anger.  
  
"What did you say?" she gasped. "Lyle, the thumbless wonder, thinks he's really my brother. How is that possible? Unless someone, Raines, got a hold of my mother's eggs when they were trying the invitro process. Can my family tree get any more twisted? How are we to test all of our blood? Wouldn't we need Momma's and Jacob's? Who is going to test it? Whom can we trust to give us the answers we need?" she asked her head in her hands.  
  
"Jarod could do it. I would trust any results he comes up with. We could get samples and then send them to Jarod for him to test?" Sydney suggested.  
  
"No too many people would be involved. I'd want Jarod to do it all from taking the samples to doing the actual testing. I'll have to talk to him about that, and get back to you. Lyle as my actual brother might send him over the edge. Jarod has wanted him dead, ever since Kyle. Since you know Evan is my son, you need to know he'll be living with me. I'll need help getting the house baby-proofed, and a room ready for him. Sydney, how the hell am I going to be a mom? You know what I am, what the Centre has made me into. I don't want my son growing into that." Parker stood up began pacing around the living room.  
  
"I don't think you give yourself enough credit. You are wonderful with Debbie. You'll be incredible with Evan. Lyle wanted me to tell you that he will back you a 100%. He says he knows you don't trust him, and you probably don't believe him, but he is here if you need him. Did your father say anything else to you in the letter?" Sydney asked in his most patient tone of voice.  
  
Parker sat back down on the sofa before speaking. "Jarod and I haven't even started going through it all yet. Lyle's right I don't believe him. Let him know, I said thanks. Let me talk to Jarod about the testing, and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye Sydney." Parker said as she disconnected the call.  
  
Parker was still staring into space when Jarod came into the room ten minutes later. "Evie, what's wrong?" Jarod asked as he came over to the sofa and sat down beside her. He put his arm around her shoulder as she burrowed into his side. He lay down on the sofa taking her with him, so that she was lying halfway across his chest. He held her like that and just stroked her back in a soothing up and down motion. Parker closed her eyes and enjoyed being held in Jarod's arms. It felt like home, being part of a family again.  
  
"My family tree just got a whole lot stranger. Lyle isn't my twin, Angelo is. However. Lyle still might be my brother. Same mother, different fathers, like what happened with Ethan. Is Evan still asleep?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's out like a light. He drools out of the same side of the mouth that you do." Jarod said still stroking her back.  
  
"Did you know that he almost had a brother or a sister?"  
  
The stroking paused for a moment and then was continued. "When were you pregnant?" Jarod asked carefully.  
  
"I was pregnant when Tommy was murdered. I didn't know it at the time. It was about three weeks after it was all over, right before Donoterase was uncovered, that I found out. It was on a Friday. Debbie had called to invite me to her school play Saturday night. All of a sudden I was in horrible pain. I was cramping. I thought it might be my ulcer again. I just passed out. When I came to, I was in an ambulance and Broots was with me holding my hand. We got to the emergency room, and the doctor asked if I'd been having any trouble with my pregnancy so far. I told him I didn't know I was even pregnant. He said I was about fourteen weeks, and it looked as if I was miscarrying the baby. You know, Broots never left my side that whole night. I promised God anything in the world, if I could just keep that baby. My last piece of Tommy. Broots just stayed, holding my hand and talking to me. Nothing helped; I lost the baby about dawn the next morning. They told me they couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl, but I think they were lying. Broots took me home. I stayed in bed all weekend, with the exception of Debbie's play. I made Broots promise not to ever mention it again. Monday I acted as if nothing had changed. In my mind I even named the baby. David Thomas for a boy; David means beloved and Thomas for the obvious reason. For a girl I picked Aimee Katrine; Aimee means loved one and Katrine is a form of Catherine, which means pure. I hurt so badly after losing the baby; it was probably why I stepped in front of that bullet meant for Daddy. I couldn't stand to lose anyone else, I just couldn't." She buried her face in his chest.  
  
Jarod kept stroking her back as he felt her tears soak his shirt. He didn't know how to help her with this kind of pain. "I don't know what to say," he told her.  
  
"There's nothing to say. The doctor said nothing I had done brought on the miscarriage. He said it might have been the shock and grief about Tommy's death. He examined me after it was over. He didn't foresee any complications for further children. That baby, though was the one I wanted. After I was shot, and in the hospital drugged. I saw Momma. Tommy was with her, holding a baby. I asked her why I had lost my baby. She told me I was meant to be a mother; it just didn't work out this time. Tommy she said was lonely without me. He and our baby would watch over me, just as she had always done. They would watch over my family and me. Momma also said not to give up. I needed to fight the infection and live. I was to live for the children I was meant to have. I wonder what she would think of Evan?" she said. It felt good to talk about this, especially to Jarod.  
  
"She probably thinks he's incredible." He said smiling at the thought of their son.  
  
"Jarod, would you be willing to test our blood? You'd have to test; Sydney's, Ethan's, Lyle's, Angelo's, Evans, yours, and mine. You are the only person I trust to take the blood and perform the DNA tests. We'd all finally have some answers. I need answers. Will you help me?" she asked looking into his eyes.  
  
"Of course, I'll help you." Jarod said sliding a finger down her cheek and across her jaw line.  
  
"Can I sleep with you tonight? I don't mean have sex. I'd just like to be held, at least for tonight." Parker asked as she crawled over him and got off the couch. "I'm not ruling out that kind of relationship, maybe sometime in the far future. I just don't think we need that kind of complication right now."  
  
"You can sleep with me tonight." Jarod said gallantly.  
  
"Thanks. I'm going to shower and change. So you'll do the testing? I know you hate Lyle; you've every reason to. This could give you some answers too."  
  
"I'll do this for you and Sydney," Jarod said. "I'll call Sydney tomorrow and see what kind of arrangements we can make. I'm going to take a shower too. Just limb into the bed when you're done." Jarod headed off to his own bathroom.  
  
Parker went and took her shower and changed into her favorite pair of silk pajamas. She peeked in to check on Evan, and saw him sleeping peacefully. She went into Jarod's room and slipped between the sheets. She closed her eyes, and almost immediately fell asleep.  
  
Jarod came out of his bathroom in his boxers. He saw she was already asleep. He turned out the lights and got into bed. He leaned over and spooned his body behind hers. She stiffened momentarily and then relaxed boneless against him. HE closed his own eyes, and dreamed of a possible happily ever after for all of them.  
  
Day 3 Seattle, WA 8 a.m.  
  
Lyle, Broots and Sydney walked out of yet another Starbucks. He saw the four sweepers walking toward them.  
  
"Any luck?" Lyle asked as they shook their heads.  
  
"Broots how many more are there?"  
  
"Out of the 71 we've got another 40 to go. Twenty are closer to the outskirts of town. There are another 15 in a ten mile radius of where we are right now."  
  
"All right we three will take the 15 inside the ten mile radius. You four take the outskirts. Call me if you find anything."  
  
"Of course sir." They said as they took their leave.  
  
"Sydney, have you heard from them yet?" Lyle asked waiting until the sweepers were out of earshot.  
  
"No. I expect Jarod will have to get access to a lab before he can contact us. More then likely he'll have to find us, to get the samples so that the tests can be run." Sydney said.  
  
"This just keeps getting more, and more weird." Broots said. "Lyle, I can't believe you are helping your sister. Who it turns out may, or may not be your sister. You've actually agreed to have Jarod help you find out."  
  
He was cut off with the ringing of Sydney's cell phone.  
  
"This is Sydney."  
  
"Sydney, it's Jarod. Are you still in Seattle searching Starbucks for me?"  
  
"Yes, we are. Did you have to choose a city that had 71 of them?"  
  
"How else could I be assured you guys would be out of my hair long enough, for me to enjoy my first vacation? " Jarod remarked a bit flippantly.  
  
"How should we get the blood samples to you Jarod? I don't think we can ship them to you?" Sydney asked, sure the Jarod already had a plan of action.  
  
"No, you can't. Mr. Broots is going to help us. He is going to have an emergency at home involving Debbie. He'll then during a stop over in Chicago, hand off the samples to me, I'll meet him somewhere in a spot that I won't tell you about just yet." Jarod said already working the scenario out in his mind. "He'll then fly back to Blue Cove, getting Angelo's sample. I'll also need him to go into the Fluid Retention Unit, to see if there is a sample of Catherine and Jacob's DNA. He'll then stop over again in Chicago, where I'll meet him again. By the time you three are back in Blue Cove I should have the definite results of our complicated puzzle. However, if I see any sign of sweepers or cleaners, I'm out of there. You won't get the results."  
  
"We're all agreed on that Jarod. Especially Lyle. Jacobs DNA won't be at the Centre. The one Hospital he was at still has several samples of bone marrow and blood. I had it taken just in case I ever needed it, as he was my twin. I can let them know Broots is coming and get it released to him. All you have to do is tell us when and where and we'll make sure Broots is there." Sydney looked at Lyle who was gesturing impatiently at the phone. "Jarod, Lyle would like to speak with you. Did you want to speak with him?" Sydney asked knowing there was no love lost between the two men.  
  
"All right Sydney. I'll talk to him." Jarod wondered what Lyle would say. Maybe he'll try to what's that expression, oh yeah butter me up.  
  
"Jarod? Listen I know you could care less about what happens to me in this whole scenario. We both know the only reason I'm alive, is because I've been believed to be Parkers brother. You'd never kill a member of her family, no matter how much they deserved it. I trust you to give me these answers. I'm not asking for any kind of special treatment. If I manage to stay alive inside the Centre, I know I'll be answering for my sins somewhere down the road. At this moment in time Jarod, we're the same. I just want to know who I am." Lyle said wanting Jarod to understand how he felt about all of this.  
  
"You're right Lyle, you will answer to someone for all you've done. I won't be your judge, jury or executioner. However, if you ever come anywhere near my family with the attempt to hurt or harm them in any way. God is going to be the only one who'll be able to identify and find your remains. Hold on, Parker wants to talk to you." Jarod said handing over the phone.  
  
"Lyle," Parker began, taking a deep breath. "What makes you so sure you're my brother? What makes you think you're entitled to another chance? Why should any of us trust you? Can you give me a single reason why I, or for that matter we, should?" she asked.  
  
"I know you've no reason to trust me. Remember when I was making fun of your 'dreams'? I've been having the same one for last two weeks. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for you to trust me. Even though I know you never will, not completely. I'm just asking that we try Parker. You and I have been searching for answers, granted I haven't been searching as long as you, for a while now. I think its time we shook the family tree." Lyle heard himself almost begging.  
  
"All right. Remember this Lyle. I shot you once, because you gave me no choice. You cross me; I'll have no problem being Judge, jury and your executioner. Are we clear?"  
  
"Crystal."  
  
"Fine. Give the phone back to Sydney, so he can make the final arrangements with Jarod." Parker handed the phone back to Jarod.  
  
"Sydney, I'll be sending you all the information to your hotel. It will come via Next Day Air, tomorrow morning. It will have all the details as well as Broots' air tickets. Follow them to the letter. I'll call you once I have confirmation you've received it. Enjoy looking for the clues I left. I'll give you this much of a hint, the Starbucks is on Madison Avenue. Talk to you later Sydney." Jarod taunted ending the call.  
  
"Did he give us any clue as to where to go next?" Broots asked.  
  
"He said the Starbucks is on Madison Street. Let's go and get started. I don't think this will be as easy, as it seems." Sydney replied shaking his head.  
  
Lyle and Broots got into the car with him and headed toward Madison Street.  
  
Chicago, IL  
  
Same time  
Jarod and Parker just looked at each other across the table. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze of support.  
  
"So, do we sort through the tangled vines of our past today, or do you want to do that after the testing is complete? Don't forget Ethan is coming tomorrow or the next day. Maybe he can help." Parker suggested, as she got up from the table and entered the living room.  
  
She watched Evan playing with the Lego's his father had bought him.  
  
"Let's hit the Shedd Aquarium, Evan will love it. We can relax today. Later we can go shopping for the 6 suitcases you'll need to get everything home in." Jarod joked, as he came up behind her.  
  
Parker grabbed a pillow from the sofa and hit him with it.  
  
"Fine, I'll get the stroller you get Evan put together. Evan, how would you like to go to the Aquarium and see all the different fish? Then we'll go and do some shopping. We need to get you some bigger suitcases."  
  
"See fish?" Evan asked.  
  
"Yes, baby. We'll see lots of fish. Maybe if there is time and you aren't too tired we can go to the zoo." She said smiling down at him.  
  
"Okay Momma. Lez go Daddy. Right now!" Evan demanded.  
  
"Sure thing son. I guess we know where you get that from don't we?" Jarod asked, winking at Parker.  
  
"Momma." Evan stated gleefully.  
  
"Listen, there will be no uniting against Mommy. You got that kiddo. You understand?" Parker said as she tickled Evan's ribs.  
  
"I unnerstan Momma!" Evan gasped out.  
  
"Go and get ready, silly boy." She said dropping a kiss on his cheek.  
  
Evan grabbed her face and gave her a kiss back.  
  
"Ok, Momma." he was still giggling as Jarod took him back to the bedroom.  
  
Jarod's videophone rang. Parker went over to activate it. She smiled as she saw Ethan's face appear.  
  
"Ethan, you look good. When are you arriving?" she asked looking at the screen. She sat down at Jarod's desk.  
  
"I'll be there the day after tomorrow. I'll probably arrive sometime around noon. How are you and Jarod doing discovering you're parents?" Ethan asked concerned, as he knew how Parker could react to new discoveries.  
  
"Jarod's happy as a clam. I'm taking it better then I did, when I discovered we shared a brother. Evan's such a great kid, Ethan. I think he definitely inherited Jarod's genius, but he seems a bit young for his age. We're going to take him on an outing, like a real family. I want you to ask you something. You hear our mother's voice guiding you. What does she tell you about Lyle? He says he's been having a dream about her. What is she trying to tell him?" Parker asked, not wanting to believe that Lyle could actually be her brother.  
  
She watched as Ethan closed his eyes for a few moments.  
  
"She says she has been trying to contact him for sometime. She's never been able to get to him until recently. He's been too closed off. She says ever since Mr. Parker died, he seems to be looking for something. That is how she's been able to reach him." Ethan calmly relayed to her.  
  
"So he really is my, our brother. Does she know what happened? Or how we can get the information on this?"  
  
"She says you and Jarod have all the information you need. Mr. Parker gave it to all of you. This is weird she says to tell you, not to worry they are still watching over you. Do you know who she means?" Ethan inquired.  
  
"Yeah, I know who she's talking about." Parker said, closing her eyes and thinking of Tommy and her baby. "Are you ok for money to get here?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm good. I'll see you the day after tomorrow. I love you, Parker. I know you don't like hearing it, but you'll have to get use to it."  
  
"Then I guess you'd better start calling me something other then Parker. I know she's told you my given name. I'd like you to use it. If you don't like it, you can use a nickname. I'll see you soon. Stay safe, Ethan. I finally have all this family. I don't want to lose any of you." Parker confessed showing Ethan one of her rare smiles.  
  
"Mommy, I'm ready." Evan came up to her with his arms spread out. "Whom're you talking to?"  
  
"I'm talking to Uncle Ethan. Would you like to say hello?" Parker asked as she picked him up.  
  
"Yeah! Hi Uncle Ethan. You look like Daddy." Evan said waving at the screen.  
  
"Hello Evan. You look like your Mommy. Same big blue eyes." Ethan looked at his nephew and waved back. "I'm going to be there in a few days and we will have some serious fun. OK?"  
  
"Okey-Dokey, Unca Etan." Evan said cheerfully. "Daddy! Unca Etan coming to visit soon."  
  
"That is right, kiddo. Lets go see the fish." Jarod replied. "Are you ready Evie?"  
  
"Yes, I'm ready. Do you think they'll be able to pull it off?" She inquired hopefully.  
  
"I hope so." Jarod said as he opened the door for his family.  
  
"Let's go Momma and Daddy!" Evan demanded.  
  
Seattle WA Madison Street  
  
They walked into a Starbucks and asked the girl at the counter if she had seen Jarod, and showed her a picture.  
  
"You guys know Jarod?" Elizabeth, her nametag read, asked.  
  
"Yes, we do. Do you know where he was living?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yeah he was staying at the Paul Revere. Did you want a Jarod?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Lyle asked.  
  
"A Jarod, it what we call his drink. It really caught on. An Iced Carmel Macchiato mixed with white chocolate. It's really good."  
  
No, Thank you. We'll be on our way. Thank you for your time." Sydney said.  
  
"No Problem. Any friend of Jarod's is a friend of mine."  
  
Sydney exited the store. "Do we know where the Paul Revere is?"  
  
"Yes we do." Broots was busy clicking on his Palm organizer. It's on Ninth. Shall we go?"  
  
They got in the car and headed toward Jarod's apartment.  
A little later at  
  
Jarod's Lair  
  
Lyle walked into the room first. Followed closely by Sydney and Broots. His eyes darted around the room, for the familiar red notebook that should be lying around. When he spotted it, he went over to pick it up. Sydney was looking around the room in amazement.  
  
"What does the notebook say Lyle?" Sydney asked as he picked up some paper lying on the bed.  
  
"Just Jarod's usual righting the wrong done to some innocent. This time it looks like he found out about a drug company named DryGum, they were about to release a drug that would aid women trying to get pregnant. They neglected to tell anyone that their research was flawed; women that used the drug to get pregnant often lost the baby before the sixth month of pregnancy. Due to the drug bleeding was hard to control, and often resulting in the women being forced into having partial-hysterectomies. In which only the uterus was removed. Jarod it looked like infiltrated and got the information to the FDA before they could market it to the public. The women that were affected during the trials, Jarod was able to help with a drug he created that helped the blood clotting issue. The few that did have to have hysterectomies, were helped by the drug company using surrogate mothers to give them their own children." Lyle answered while perusing the notebook and requisite newspaper clippings. "The last article says one of the mothers found out she is having a boy and is naming him Jarod for the man who made it possible for her to have a baby."  
  
"It makes me sick to think people take advantage of those wanting to have a child." Broots said looking through the closet.  
  
"Broots, Wake up! How do you think the Centre got Jarod?" Lyle snapped. "Don't you think the Centre knew how to use the desire for children against people?"  
  
"I know what they do. I just don't see where they get the idea that they have the right, after helping people finally have a child, to take that child away and do God only knows what to it. I may not be smart, but from all I've seen the Centre has so many years of being evil under its belt it needs to be wiped out of existence. I sold my soul to work there, because the money was incredible and so were the benefits. Now I can't leave because of what they would do to me, or my daughter." Broots said shaking his head.  
  
"Right now we need you Broots. When this war between The Centre, and us is over. Jarod and my sister will be running the place. If you want to leave they won't stop you."  
  
"Broots, we will get out of this, in what shape, I can't tell you. I will have a life with Michelle, Nicholas and anyone else I choose to. Right now we have to be strong. Will you be ready to leave tomorrow after we get Jarod's package?"  
  
"I'll be ready Sydney."  
  
"Lyle do you think we should call the cleaners in to pack it all up and send it back to the Centre? Lyle?" Sydney asked concerned as Lyle had been staring at a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco California.  
  
"What? Yeah, Sydney call them. This picture looks good doesn't it? It's weird though. Everything else has to do with coffee, Starbucks or DryGum. This is the only thing out of place. I guess we are heading for San Francisco. Let's get out of here. I'm starving." Lyle kicked aside the rest of Jarod's debris as he left the room.  
  
As Lyle, Sydney, and Broots left the building. They didn't notice the blonde woman watching them. Nor did they see her use a cell phone and make a call. As they pulled away in the Black Lincoln, she quickly got into her own car a cherry red Mazda Miata and followed them.  
  
Chicago, IL Late Afternoon  
  
Jarod came out of the kitchen to see Parker looking again at her letter from her father.  
  
"Evan still taking his nap?" Jarod asked sitting down on the other side of the sofa.  
  
"Yeah, he was. Who knew an aquarium could exhaust him so much. We'll have to wake him up soon, or he won't sleep tonight." Parker put aside the letter. "It doesn't seem like he's had much fun. I never knew a two year- old could actually sit still that long. What's for dinner?"  
  
"You mean you don't have our dinner already in the oven, Honey?" Jarod smiled as he teased her. "We're having Coq au vin with garlic red potatoes, and freshly steamed broccoli and carrots."  
  
"You really think Evan'll eat that?" Parker asked her left eyebrow rose skeptically.  
  
"He's like me, if it tastes good he'll eat it. Tomorrow I thought you could meet Broots. You can assure him you're in one piece. Evie, when do you want to start on the letters and stuff?" Jarod asked concerned as he saw her eyes darken.  
  
"Did I tell you? Daddy, I can't believe I still call him that admits that he was involved in Thomas' murder. He says he was forced to make a choice. What choice was that? They killed a wonderful man, because he loved me! If I'd been given the choice I'd have let him go. Anything but have him dead. Do you have any idea how crazy our life is going to get Jarod? How are we supposed to share custody of Evan? It's not like we're divorced and you can see him on the weekends. You have to run, and I have to chase you on the weekends!" Parker dropped her head into her hands and began massaging her temples.  
  
"Evie, we can't change the past. We can only go on from here. Thomas wouldn't want you beating yourself up about this." Jarod stroked her back.  
  
"Jarod, I'm just so tired of this. I want to live to see my son grow up. I want him to be able to see you whenever he wants. Do you think we could make a deal with the Triumvirate? We won't blow the whistle on all the past misdeeds, if they agree to let us run the Centre however we deem fit? We could run it together. We'd be able to see our son grow up. Our families could be safe. Am I just dreaming that this could happen?" Parker ranted desperately.  
  
"We'll look at all of our options, when we get the test results back. Let's wait to make any big plans for the Centre until then. We can hook up all our arsenal at that time." Jarod volunteered.  
  
"Jarod, how sure are you that the Seratonin wouldn't work on Angelo again? Could the process be adjusted and tried again? The brain is an incredible thing; even the Centre doesn't know all it's capable of. My brother sacrificed his humanity for that little boy, Davy. I want to make sure no stone is left unturned before we, before I give up on him again. I owe my mother that. I owe my brother that much."  
  
"I can double check my research against any new developments. I'll also have Sydney examine him again. I don't want to give you any false hope. It would be a long shot."  
  
"I like long shots. Jarod, why do you keep helping me? I haven't helped you half as much as you've helped me. If anything I keep you from what you want most, your family." Parker put her head into her hands.  
  
"We're connected Evie, always have been and always will be, thanks to the Centre. I don't blame you for how you've been in the past. I just want to get past it. I don't want our son in the middle of a war between us. I don't want us in the middle of a war between us." Jarod rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.  
  
"Jarod, What did Daddy," Parker paused in the middle of her sentence. She looked at Jarod with a half smile. "What did he give you as far as information?"  
  
"He sent me a key to a safe deposit box. I checked it out. It's to a bank in a small town about an hour and half north of the city. It's called Zion, IL. Tomorrow while you pick up the stuff from Broots. Evan and I can go to Zion. It's supposedly safe. What do you think?"  
  
"Why not be on the safe side? Let me take Evan with me. You then can concentrate on the safe deposit box."  
  
"All right," Jarod gave her his dimpled grin. "So what do you want to do after I clean out the box?"  
  
"I say we wait and dig into it after we have the blood test results. How long will it take? A week?" Parker asked as she stood up and stretched.  
  
"About that. Lets go wake up Evan so we can eat dinner." Jarod said standing up as well.  
  
"Ok." Parker followed Jarod down the hall.  
  
Seattle, WA A little later in the evening  
  
Sydney approached Lyle as he was at the bar. From the look of it Lyle was on his fourth or fifth drink. He slid onto the stool next to him.  
  
"You realize, of course drowning your sorrows won't make them go away." Sydney said as he ordered a chivas on the rocks, with a single ice cube.  
  
Lyle gave a snort. "Do you realize that I'm a dead man? Parker deserves to know the whole truth about what I've done to her. When I've told her all I know. . .Brother, or not she'll shoot me right between the eyes."  
  
"Lyle, she knows you aren't perfect. I'm certain she feels that you might be able to be a better man. Your potential is incredible. What could you have done, besides what she already knows about, that she couldn't forgive you for?" Sydney asked perplexed at this complete change in attitude from Lyle.  
  
"Thomas." Lyle replied simply.  
  
"You had something to do with Thomas's death?" Sydney couldn't keep the anger he felt from coming through on his voice.  
  
"I didn't pull the trigger, or assign Brigitte to carry it out. I was worse. I was the catalyst. I let Raines overhear me on several occasions saying that since Parker got involved with her carpenter, she seemed to be losing her edge on trying to catch Jarod. I thought they would warn her or slap her on the wrist. I didn't think her warning would be them killing Thomas. I should have. It's exactly what I would have done. Raines made me into the perfect Centre machine." Lyle finished his drink in a single swallow. He motioned for the bartender to bring him another.  
  
"Lyle most of your problems stem from the abuse you suffered as a child. The Bowman's were not people that should have been entrusted with a child. When Raines made you the offer, to become stronger then the man who was abusing you. You jumped at the offer, who wouldn't in your position." Sydney said trying to impress upon Lyle that some choices he had made were as a defensive mechanism. "Even the name you use, it's a slap in the face to the one who hurt you. If you really want to make some changes, I can suggest two right off the bat. One, make your peace with the Bowman's. Let Mr. Bowman out of Jail, say you were kidnapped and brainwashed. You have come to your senses, only to find out that Mr. Bowman has been imprisoned for your murder. You want to right the wrong done to your adoptive father. After you do that change your name don't be Lyle Parker, Bobby Bowman, Mr. Lyle. Be who you want to be. Find a name that means something to you and go from there." Sydney put his hand on Lyle's shoulder. "Lyle, no son of Catherine Parker would accept this set down. She has faith in you, she wouldn't be coming to your dreams if she didn't."  
  
"I'm not worthy of being her son. What could she possibly think of a son that has done all the horrible things that I have? I'm glad she's dead. I wouldn't want to see the look of disgust on her face when she looks at me. Why all of a sudden does this bother me? I have been doing this for over 20 years." Lyle spat out contemptously.  
  
"It bothers you now. Because you know if Catherine had known about you, she would have rescued you and loved you. It was the kind of person she was." Sydney explained confidently.  
  
"I think I'm just going to go to bed. Sleep off the Scotch. Tell Broots to call my room when he needs me in the morning. Good night Syd. Thank you for the advice. I'll sleep on it. Maybe I'll ask Catherine for her advice. See you in the morning." Lyle gave Sydney a halfhearted grin and put several bills on the bar. He turned and left the room.  
  
To all people he looked like a young, confident career man. Sydney only saw the troubled waters beneath the still surface. When Lyle started answering for his crimes, it seems as if he'd be a much harder judge on himself, then one might think.  
  
Sydney saw Broots join him from the corner of his eye.  
  
"What'll you have Broots? I'm buying." Sydney asked, signaling the bartender over.  
  
"Can I have a Tanquray gin and tonic with lime, please?" Broots requested.  
  
"Sure, I'll have it for you in a moment."  
  
"Sydney. If this situation gets any weirder, I'm calling Guinness." Broots shook his head. "I don't know how much more Parker can stand. She has had to deal with so much. She's going to destroy the Centre when the test results come in. Parker mad is not something I want to deal with anytime soon. Do you think she and Jarod are getting along?" Broots asked as the bartender came back with his drink.  
  
"Broots I think Parker is a lot stronger then we know. I agree this to her will be the last straw. Her and Jarod parenting a two-year-old is something I would love to see. I've always thought they would be incredible parents. Broots I want you to do something for me. When you go to the Centre to get Angelo's blood. Can you get a list of all of our contacts in the military and overseas? Those that have contracted the Centre to do work for them. Also I need a complete list of everyone who works at Blue Cove and Corporate. I want to know where every single annex is. All of our branches, everything, No stone left unturned. We are going to need it; When Jarod brings down the place. I want you to down load everything on to laptops. Leave all of this with Parker and Jarod when you drop the samples off. We'll then wait for Jarod to contact us, with what to do."  
  
"Sydney do you realize what you're asking me to do? I might as well sign my own death certificate."  
  
"I know Broots, but having that information might save all of our lives. Why don't you let me have Michelle and Nicholas pick Debbie up from camp? We can ask Jarod for a safe place to have all of you stay while we figure this out."  
  
"I'll call the came tomorrow. When I drop off the stuff, I'll ask Parker to talk to Jarod about it. I'll call you when I get to Blue Cove. We can take it from there. I'm going to bed. I need as much sleep as possible, to help me with what I've got to do tomorrow. Just call me Broots, James Broots." Broots tried to joke.  
  
"Is that really your first name? James?" Sydney asked. "I'm ashamed to say I don't know your first name."  
  
"No my first name is Dennison. It was my mother's maiden name. My brother got the normal name of Jefferson. Parents and the names they give kids. I'm no better we had decided before Debbie was born to give her a 'D' name because of mine and her mother's name, which was Doreen."  
  
"I'm not sure why I was named Sydney and my brother Jacob. I never got a chance to ask my parents."  
  
"Sydney, do you think Jarod and Parker will change Evan's name?" Broots asked as he got off the stool at the bar.  
  
"I doubt it. Goodnight Broots. I'll see you in the morning." Sydney turned back to his drink.  
  
It was going to be a long night.  
  
Chicago, IL That same night  
  
Parker came from the spare room where she had just finished packing all of the new things away. As she went past her room, she peeked in to check on Evan. He was sleeping soundly. The television was on in the living room. When she entered the room she saw Jarod was watching "Casablanca." Parker walked over to the sofa and sat down.  
  
"Evan's out like a light. He likes you putting him to bed."  
  
"I know. It's going to be hard when you're in Blue Cove, and I'm wherever." Jarod sighed wistfully. "Rick really loves her doesn't he?"  
  
"In the movie? Absolutely. I always thought that. I also thought he was pathetic. Why give up the woman you love just because she's in love with someone else? At least don't give up without a fight." Parker replied.  
  
Jarod turned to her. Before she could react he reached out and kissed her. The kiss lasted for a few minutes. Then Jarod broke it off.  
  
"You kissed me!" Parker accused.  
  
"You kissed me back." Jarod replied.  
  
"Was that some sort of experiment? You wanted to see if I would respond to you? You want to go where you've never gone before?! Why did you do that?" Parker demanded.  
  
"I wanted to know if kissing you would make me forget Zoë? I still have feelings for her that are unresolved. Evie, neither of us is ready for a relationship, not yet. I just needed to see what would happen, if I kissed you. No harm no foul." Jarod leaned back into the couch.  
  
"Jarod, didn't Sydney teach you that to prove or disprove a hypothesis you have to run more then one test." Parker said as she leaned over and kissed Jarod.  
  
At first the kiss was hesitant and then grew deeper. Jarod pulled Parker on to his lap facing him. She straddled him as the kissing went on. She pulled away from his lips and began to work at the sensitive part of his neck right below the earlobe. he also be began nuzzling her collarbone and dropping soft kisses along the way. This time when they pulled back they had to detangle their legs from each other and they were both flushed.  
  
"I think that proves there is definitely something there. I agree we need a little more time before we jump into anything." Parker laughed at the raised eyebrow she got from Jarod. "I know, me of all people advertising self restraint. We can't just jump on this one Jarod. I don't want our son hurt if a relationship doesn't work out with us. Besides the parenting one." Parker said still breathing a bit heavy.  
  
"I agree. I think we should both take a cold shower, and go to bed. We'll figure out the rest as we go. Tomorrow I have to let you know what to do with the samples." Jarod nodded as his own breathing calmed and his heartbeat went back to normal.  
  
"Good Night Jarod."  
  
"Good Night Evie."  
  
Day 4 Chicago, IL Around 10 a.m.  
  
Jarod woke up to the smells of breakfast being cooked. He got up and walked to the kitchen. There was Parker with an apron over her jeans cooking.  
  
"Have I entered the Twilight Zone? You're cooking?"  
  
"Daddy! Momma cookin'. She burnt toast and said a bad word." Evan crowed at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Stool Pigeon!" Parker muttered.  
  
"She did. What did she do with the toast?"  
  
"She threw it away." Evan said waving a piece of non-burnt toast in front of his father.  
  
"Do you want breakfast, Jarod? I have pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon." Parker said as she dished up her own plate of food.  
  
"Sounds great."  
  
She brought over the plates and they began eating.  
  
"So when does his flight get in?" Parker asked in between mouthfuls of food.  
  
"He'll be receiving my package in about an hour. After he leaves immediately, for Blue Cove care of a stopover here in Chicago. Lyle and Sydney will leave to investigate my whereabouts in San Francisco. He should be here around 2 p.m. He has a three-hour layover here. He then boards a plane to Blue Cove. He'll drive home sleep for a few hours. Then before anyone get in get Angelo's sample. he will also try and check the Body Fluid storage for any of your mother DNA. He then goes to the hospital Sydney had Jacob's DNA held and then he flies back to San Francisco care of another layover in Chicago. Where we then will have the last pieces of the puzzle. By then Ethan will be here and we can start working on putting the puzzle pieces together." Jarod explained as he cleaned his own plate.  
  
"So we can stay here, while everything goes down. Why do I feel like we are stepping into some deep sh- you know what?"  
  
"Because there is no going back after we get these answers." Jarod said reaching over and squeezing her hand.  
  
"Should we get a safe house for Michelle, Nicholas and Debbie? Also when are you leaving to check out the safe deposit box?" Parker asked willing her ulcer to calm down.  
  
"I'm going to check into a safe house. I don't think it should be in Chicago though. Not with Broots making two stops. Maybe Milwaukee, or Kenosha, maybe even that Zion. I'm going to leave as soon as I take a shower and shave. Are you going to be all right with Evan and going to meet Broots?  
  
"Worrying about me already, Jarod? You know I can take care of myself and Evan." Parker said her teeth on edge.  
  
"I'm not saying you can't! Evie, you're in a strange town, you aren't used to being alone with Evan, and on top of it all you have to covertly met Broots and get the DNA samples he'll have." Jarod explained a bit defensively.  
  
"I'm Sorry Jarod. It just for too long, not being able to do something perfectly was the same as failing at it. I have to learn to think before I open my mouth." Parker apologized.  
  
"It's OK. We're both having to do a lot of adjusting right now." Jarod stopped as some scrambled egg hit him in the face. He turned to Ethan who though he had just discovered something incredibly funny. "What was that for kiddo?"  
  
"It swipped, Daddy. Mommy says 'we don't throw food.' I sowwy." Evan replied innocently. Jarod and Parker had to hold back the laughter as Evan did his best imitation of Parker and actually got it pretty close.  
  
"That's right we don't throw food, at each other. Jarod, since it will be a while before Broots gets here what should we do today?" Parker asked smiling and making faces at Evan.  
  
"I thought we could stick around here today. I'll leave in about an hour for Zion. By the time I've picked up my information, and gotten back to the city, you should have what I need. I'll get samples from you, Evan, and myself. I can then go into the lab and get started on the results. It should take about a week, once I get all of the DNA, to get the samples analyzed and cross referenced, so that everyone will know who is related to whom." Jarod said as he read the newspaper.  
  
"Jarod, I feel like Pandora. I wonder if we aren't better off not knowing. There is some comfort in being ignorant of all the facts." Parker said worriedly. "I don't want you or I to be a grave Evan visits once a year. I want us to see him grow into a man, and start his own life. If you had, had a choice would you have named him Evan Thomas?" Parker asked hoping to lighten the dark mood that had seemed to come over both of them.  
  
Jarod who was in the process of cleaning off Evan's face with a towel left on the table. "I don't know. Maybe we should go back to that Borders bookstore and get a baby name book and see what we would have come up with. You want to argue about what to name our son?" he replied half-jokingly. He put Evan down so he could run and play with his toys in the living room.  
  
"I already looked it up. I found out that many consider Evan a form of John, which means God, is gracious. I kind of like the fact that he was named for the brother my mother thought was stillborn. Angelo and Timmy's actual name. Face it if Angelo's mind could be fixed he's probably going to want to go by Timmy or Tim. I'd like to spend the day with you and Evan." Parker confessed looking intently at her plate of food.  
  
"Since you cooked breakfast. I'm still thinking about calling Guinness about that. I'll clean up. Why don't you go and get dressed. We can play with Evan for a bit before I have to go." Jarod cheerfully volunteered.  
  
Miss Parker stood and was about to go down the hall, when she heard Jarod's videophone ring. She crossed the living room where Evan had all of his toys spread out. "Evan put some of this away, you aren't playing with half of it." She clicked on the icon and was almost as surprised to see the person who came up on the screen, as they were to see her.  
  
"Well, Miss Parker I take it that if you're answering Jarod's videophone you have caught him and put him back in the Centre?" Major Charles relayed his intense dislike of the woman in front of him with just those few words.  
  
"Actually Major Charles," Parker replied in her hardest Miss-Parker tone of voice. "Jarod is right behind me. We are spending a few days getting to know our son, your grandson, by the way. Jarod! It your father." She called out as she walked down the hall into her bedroom.  
  
Parker sat on the bed, her hands shaking. 'Momma, I can't do this. His family hates me. The thing is I can't blame them for it. I spent 5 years chasing him down. I almost killed his father because I though he had killed you. Momma, I wish you were here. I can't undo what I've done in the past. Nor, will I keep apologizing for doing what I had to do to survive. I won't let them hurt Evan, I'll die before anyone hurts my son!' she vowed to herself.  
  
Twenty minutes later there was a soft knock on the door. As it opened Jarod poked his head around. "Evie, my dad wants to talk to you again." He said looking at the hurt, his father had out in her eyes with his careless words. "I explained about what's been going on. I think he wants to apologize for judging you too quickly. Will you speak with him? Evan's out there right now talking to 'Gwampa'."  
  
Parker looked at him with her clear blue eyes. "I suppose you want me to be the bigger person and go out there and say all is forgiven?" she asked a bit meaner then she intended.  
  
"I know he hurt you by what he said, and by what he assumed. He's been hurt just as much, if not more than we were in all of this. Evie, please? Talk to him." Jarod asked flashing his puppy dog eye look at her.  
  
"All right! I'll go talk to him. Happy now?" Parker asked sarcastically, as she stomped out of the bedroom and back down the hall. She stopped when she saw how happily Evan was talking to his grandfather. Explaining all about the fun he, Daddy, and Mommy had had at the aquarium.  
  
"Evan, it's my turn to talk to your Grandfather. Daddy is in my room. Why don't you go and let Daddy get you cleaned up and changed. When you come back out we'll play some more. OK?" Parker asked her son in an even sort of tone.  
  
"OK Mommy! Bye Gwampa. Loves you. I talkes to you soon." Evan waved as he got up off the chair and raced down the hall to where Jarod was waiting for him.  
  
Parker sat down in the chair her son had recently vacated. She had her face composed into her I-am-Miss-Parker-don't-mess-with-me look. "Jarod said you wanted to speak with me." Parker waited to see what Major Charles would say.  
  
"Miss Parker, I'm man enough to admit I misjudged the situation. I also admit that I jumped to conclusions concerning this whole situation. When I saw your face, my first thought was that you'd caught him. The next was that he was dead, and you were waiting for us to contact him to let us know. God forgive me, in that split second if I'd have to choose between those scenarios's I'd rather him be alive at the Centre then dead. I took my disgust at that reaction out on you. I'm sorry for that." Major Charles took a breath, and then continued. "You look so much like your mother. Jarod filled me in on what's been going on with you two and Evan. He is going to look more like you then Jarod. I'm also sorry about your father." He decided to see what she would say before going on.  
  
"Major, I know why you dislike me. I'm not saying you don't have reason to believe I'd hurt Jarod. We're just trying to work everything out as best we can. I'm not asking you to forget about the past. Even I can't manage that. I'm just asking that you give me a chance to prove I'm not one of the bad guys in all of this. Can you do that?" Parker asked.  
  
"Yes. I can give you that chance." Parker's cell phone interrupted him as it rang.  
  
"Excuse me, Major. I have to get that." Parker walked over to where her phone was ringing. She snatched it up. "What!"  
  
"Miss Parker, this is Sydney. I thought you should know Broots has the samples and is on his way to the airport k right know. Lyle and I'll be leaving in about an hour heading for San Francisco."  
  
"Thanks Sydney. I'll talk to you soon." Parker disconnected the call and tossed her phone onto the couch. "Major we really have to get started on our day today. Did you want to speak to Jarod again?"  
  
"No. I'll keep in touch Miss Parker." Major Charles said as his image faded from the screen. Parker got out of the videophone screen. She the rose and got up to tell Jarod what Sydney had said.  
  
In an Airplane  
  
Flying to Chicago  
  
Broots didn't think he'd ever been so nervous in his entire life. 'When this is all over I'm taking Debbie and getting away from the Centre!' My body can't handle this pressure. He looked at the briefcase he held in his hands. Jarod had supplied him with the credentials of a medical doctor. Security looked at them and the briefcase which held the samples of blood that both Sydney and Lyle and given him.  
  
'I'm gonna sleep for a week, when we get back from this trip.' Broots settled his head against the back of the seat and tried to close his eyes. He fell into an uneasy sleep as the plane took him swiftly to Chicago.  
  
Several hours later O'Hare International Airport Chicago, IL  
  
Miss Parker paced around the airport with Evan in his stroller. For thirty minutes Broots' plane had been delayed. So she was going up and down the length of the baggage claim corridor until he arrived. She'd already been doing this for almost an hour before the delay. Jarod had given her a briefcase to give to Broots. It was identical to the one she knew he would have with him.  
  
"Mommy! Getting dizzy! I hungry!" Evan voiced his own complaint at going back and forth at the airport.  
  
"Sorry, baby." Parker leaned down and kissed Evan head. As she stood she rummaged in the diaper bag for a snack for Evan. She thanked foresight for the idea to pack some just in case. She came up with a plastic container of cheese and crackers. Parker handed them to Evan along with a sippy cup of juice. "Here you go sweetie." Evan grabbed at the food. She held it out of his reach. "What do you say?" she asked.  
  
"Sank you Mommy." Evan said politely.  
  
"Your welcome, baby." Parker smoothed her fingertips through his hair and dropped another kiss on top of his head.  
  
"M-M-Miss Parker?" Broots stuttered a bit, shocked at the way she looked at the boy. The last time he had seen that look on her face, Thomas was still alive.  
  
"Hello Broots. How was the flight?" Parker asked as she rose and smiled at him. "What?" she asked as she saw him shake his head.  
  
"I don't want to bring up bad memories Miss Parker. But, I haven't seen you this happy since Thomas. Debbie was right about you. You make an incredible mother." Broots said smiling at her. "However, not one I'd ever want to cross or run into in a dark alley." he grinned when he saw her smile again.  
  
"We can get into that in a few minutes. When does your next flight leave is it sooner because of the delay?"  
  
"I checked. My flight won't leave until 7p.m. now. So what do we do know?" he asked unsure of what the answer would be.  
  
"We take the train into Chicago and we get something to eat. Let me call Jarod and see if he's heading back yet." Parker took her cell phone from her pocket and punched in Jarod's number. "Jarod? Broots' plane has been delayed until 7. Where do you want to meet? Are you sure? Ok, See you then. What? Hold on I'll ask. Do you want anything in particular for an early dinner Broots?" she asked holding the phone to her shoulder.  
  
"If I said I'd love some Chicago style Pizza would I get into trouble?" Broots asked hesitantly, fascinated by her one-way conversation with Jarod that we was hearing. 'Boy, would Sydney love to see this.' he thought.  
  
"Jarod? Broots has a craving for Pizza. Ok I'll see you soon." Parker ended the call with Jarod, before continuing, "We also have some salad stuff at the house, Evan is going to recognize and eat vegetables in this lifetime, Jarod's meeting us there. Let's go." she commanded with her usual proficiency. She walked down the corridor of the airport to grab the train.  
  
"Miss Parker you never change." Broots said as he followed her.  
  
"Actually, I have. While you're here call me Eve or Evie, as Jarod does. I don't want my son calling me Miss Parker." Parker said as they walked, giving Broots permission to call her the name that very few people knew she possessed.  
  
"OK." Broots agreed slowly, "You have to call me by my first name then."  
  
"All right. Do you prefer James, Jim or Jimmy or maybe I should use the first name that you think no one knows about?" Parker smiled as she saw his expression change from smiling to total shock. "What you don't think I know the names of the people I trust?"  
  
"I only told Sydney about my name being James last night. You knew all this time? You know my REAL first name. I only put my initial on my application for the Centre. How did you find out?" Broots shook his head, at the very idea of Miss Parker knowing his name.  
  
"We all have our sources. Yours is a tongue less mute. Mine is your daughter. She told me one time when I told her my name. I believe she said something along the lines of, I've got nothing to complain about as I at least didn't have your given name" Parker teased as she saw his face grow pale.  
  
"You can't know! You love to make fun of people's name and anything else for that matter. If you'd known you would have teased me relentlessly." Broots was horrified that she might actually know it.  
  
"Broots, I don't use my name. Besides I always had plenty to tease you about with out ever needing to resort to your given name. Dorian! BROOTS! You pass out on me I'm leaving you where you fall." Parker threatened as Broots went dead white and swayed.  
  
"Miss Parker! Not so Loud! Do you have any idea what that name put me through as a kid? My parents thought it would be great to name me after some obscure relative. I've used James ever since I was in middle school. So please don't use that name." Broots begged.  
  
"I won't, Jim it is then. I wonder how Lyle and Sydney are doing in San Francisco?"  
  
"Hopefully better then me." Broots said as they stepped into the building to catch the train.  
  
San Francisco, CA Around the same time  
  
Lyle and Sydney got off the Centre's jet and got into the waiting car. They told the driver to take them to the hotel they were staying at the Astoria Hotel in downtown San Francisco. As the car pulled in to traffic Lyle signaled to Sydney not to talk about anything as the car was bugged. Sydney raised his eyebrows and nodded his under standing. Sydney's cell phone began to ring breaking through the silence.  
  
"This is Sydney," he answered. Sydney smiled, "Hello, Nicholas How are you?"  
  
It was so quiet in the car Lyle could hear Nicholas through the phone.  
  
"I'm good Dad. I called to see if you could come up to Albany in a week or two."  
  
"That might be plausible. You and your mother are all right aren't you?"  
  
"Yes we are both fine. I want you to meet someone I've been dating. It's getting pretty serious. You've had to miss so much of my life. I thought you might like to meet the woman who, if she says yes, would be your daughter-in-law." Nicholas held for his father's reaction.  
  
"Daughter-in-law? You found someone who makes you that happy? Nicholas I'm so pleased. Yes, Of course I'll come. You tell me when, I'll be there work or no work. Nicholas, I can't tell you what this means to me, that you want me to meet her. The woman, you plan to spend the rest of your life with. What is her name?" Sydney asked emotion choking him.  
  
"Ally, It's short for Alessandra. She is a drama professor here at the college where I teach. Don't start on the names. Mom already thought it was quite funny that we have names of the last Romanov czars." Nicholas said with a slight groan. "I know you're busy I just wanted to make sure this was ok with you. I'll call you in the next day or two with a firm date."  
  
"I'll be waiting for you call, Nicholas. Thank you for including me in this."  
  
"I'll talk to you soon. Dad. Bye."  
  
Sydney pressed the button to end the call. His son was getting married. 'Thank you Jarod,' he thought, 'for finding him, and for rescuing him. I owe you more then you know.'  
  
"Nicholas is getting married?" Lyle asked.  
  
"He hasn't actually proposed yet. He wants me to meet her. I'm surprised. I thought he would have done it as a fait acompli. Not introduce me before." Sydney said calmly.  
  
"I'm glad you have your son. Everyone should have family." Lyle said a bit brusquely. He would have said more, but they pulled into the hotel. Lyle got out of the car to check-in. He left Sydney behind to follow him.  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo A little later in the day  
  
"So Broots what do you think of the pizza?" Jarod asked as he polished off his third slice.  
  
Broots just rolled his eyes heavenward and grunted as he finished his own third slice of heaven.  
  
"You two have never heard of chewing your food?" Parker asked testily. "You two have as much food on you as Evan and he has an excuse he is two years old. What pray tell is your excuse?"  
  
"I haven't eaten all day Miss- Eve, I'm starving." Broots answered as he came up for air, before digging into his fourth slice.  
  
Parker raised her eyebrow at Jarod, who shrugged. "I always eat like this Evie. You know Broots, we should probably be leaving soon if we want you to make your flight."  
  
Broots glanced at his watch it was just after 4 o'clock. "Yeah, you're right we'd better get going. Eve it was good to see you. I'll see you tomorrow around the same time?"  
  
"Call us after your flight leaves Maryland. So, we'll know when to expect you. Take care of yourself. When you talk to Debbie, tell her I said Hi, and that I got her some great new clothes. In fact you can take the suitcase I have of her stuff home with you. Bring it back tomorrow and I can fill it up again before I leave. Ok with you?" Parker suggested.  
  
"Eve, you didn't get her a lot of leather again did you? I like that she admires you. I'd just like my daughter to have her skirts a little longer then you wear them, and in not so many dry-clean-only fabrics." Broots said carefully, you still had to be careful not to tick Miss Parker off.  
  
"I only got her four things in leather; a jacket, a pair of pants, a long skirt, and a pair of boots. They are great for traveling, as they don't wrinkle. I was good this time." Parker said quite pleased with herself. "Jarod get the red suitcase from my bedroom for him. I'll clean up Evan. I'll see you tomorrow Broots. Don't forget to check in with Lyle and Sydney when you get into Blue Cove. You normally would do so. Take care." Parker said as she stood and walked over to where Evan sat in his high chair, his mouth still full of pizza. "Finish that bite so we can get you cleaned up. If you hurry I'll put in the video of Tarzan that you like so much."  
  
"Oh-tay Mommy." Evan replied with a mouth full of food.  
  
Jarod got up washed his hands and then went to the bedroom to get the suitcase. He brought it out with him. "Ready Broots?"  
  
"As ready as I'm gonna get." Broots walked to the door, opening it lugged the suitcase behind him.  
  
"I'll be back soon. You want me to pick up some dessert? Maybe some Eli's Cheesecake?" Jarod asked hopefully.  
  
"All right if you want to." Parker said as she picked up Evan, and carried him down the hall.  
  
Jarod watched them as they went, then he shut the door and followed Broots downstairs.  
  
San Francisco, CA  
  
Astoria Hotel  
  
Later that evening  
  
Sydney watched as Lyle picked at his fillet mignon steak. "Not hungry Lyle?  
  
"What? Oh-Yeah, I am. I just can't seem to concentrate. I think I'm going to make a very early night of it. I go watch some TV and then go to bed. I'm afraid I didn't sleep much last night." Lyle stood and reached for his wallet.  
  
"Don't worry about it Lyle. This is my treat." Sydney said waving his hand at Lyle.  
  
"Thanks Sydney." Sydney's phone rang. "I'll let you get that. Well start on Jarod's "trail" first thing in the morning. Good-night." Lyle turned and walked out of the restaurant.  
  
"This is Sydney." he said as he tossed money on the table and walked out of the restaurant.  
  
"I thought you'd like to know Broots is on his way to Blue Cove as we speak." Jarod said.  
  
"Jarod! It's good to hear your voice. I was thinking about you today. I spoke with Nicholas earlier, he's met someone. He's going to ask her to marry him. I was thinking I wouldn't be a part of his life at all, if it weren't for you finding him and saving him that time in Appalachia. How are you and Eve doing? Are you getting along or are we going to have to hire someone to find the missing body parts later?" Sydney asked hopefully, as he crossed the street into a park that overlooked the bay. He sat down at a bench.  
  
"We're getting through it day by day. I don't know how she'll react once the tests come back. Evan is incredible. We took him to the Aquarium the other day and he loved it. Sydney, I've never been so terrified in my life. What if I do something wrong and hurt him? What if he's hurt by the Centre to get to me? See I'm still asking for your guidance." Jarod confessed.  
  
"Jarod, as long as you and Even put Evan first, and not spoil him rotten, you and he will be fine. I know I thanked you for finding my son. I wanted you to know that I've lied to you. Every time you asked me if I felt anything for you, and I said 'No,' I've lied. Nicholas maybe my biological son, but his is more George and Michelle's son. You are the son I raised. The one I taught to tie a tie. I gave you all that I would have given to Nicholas, if I'd known about him. I know I told you I wasn't able to care for you. The truth is Jarod, I couldn't help but care about you. I knew if I confessed to it, or showed it, you'd be taken away and probably given to Raines. I couldn't allow that. You may not be my biological son, but you are the son I was allowed to raise. I'm very proud of who you've turned out to be. I know I'm saying this too late. I just wanted to finally say it." Sydney stopped as he allowed Jarod to absorb the words, he knew Jarod had been waiting for all of his life.  
  
"Thank you Sydney. I love my dad very much and one day I'll meet my mom. You've always been the one I seek my approval from. I'm happy that you consider me part of your family. Know that you've always been part of mine." Jarod said, unheeding of the few tears that ran down his face after hearing Sydney's confession. "I'll call you again when Broots has dropped off the second set of samples. I'll call you again when I get the results. Oh, Just to give you and Lyle a clue where to start searching for the next piece of my puzzle. Look into the cable car company. Broots will call you once he arrives in Blue Cove. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye Sydney and Thank you." Jarod said as he ended the call.  
  
Sydney stayed on the bench for almost three hours just watching life and the day go by. When this was over he planned to go back to France and maybe start putting a few of his own demons to rest. He could invite Michelle to join him. He could enjoy the time he had left, perhaps playing with his grandchildren, maybe finally asking Michelle to marry him. Finally be happy. He walked back to that hotel. The concierge had a message for him. Broots was safely in Blue Cove. He'd see them tomorrow as soon as he checked on Debbie to make sure she was all right. Sydney smiled, as he crossed the foyer of the hotel, at least Broots remembered his cover story. He took the elevator to his floor and decided he would retire for the evening early as well.  
  
Day 5 Chicago, IL  
  
Around 12 o'clock  
  
Miss Parker heard the knock on the door just as she was putting Evan down for his nap. She quickly left the bedroom and closed the door to where Evan was sleeping. The knock sounded again. She ran down the hall so she could answer it before it woke up Evan. She peeped through the peep-hole in the door. When she saw who it was, she quickly unlocked the door. After she opened the door she enveloped the person in fierce hug. "If you ever leave again, you are to contact me so that I know you are safe." she scolded.  
  
"Is this the end of my lecture?" Ethan asked smiling at her.  
  
Parker inspected him closely. He still seemed a bit twitchy, but his eyes had lost that haunted look. "Jarod is going to be so mad that he missed you. He ran out to get started on the genetic tests we're having run. I just put Evan down for his nap. Come in! Where are my manners? Would you like something to eat, or drink?" She asked as she led him into the condo. "You can put your stuff in the last room down the hall on the right."  
  
"Ok I'll be right back. A soda if you have it sounds real good." Ethan went down the hall to put his stuff away. When he came back the soda was on the kitchen table waiting for him. He downed it in a couple of swallows. "Thanks that was good. Mind if I see what you got in the fridge?"  
  
"No. Help yourself." Parker smiled to herself as she went digging. Ethan was a lot like Jarod in that respect. "Jarod should be back in an hour or so. You look tired. Why don't you take your snack," she paused as she saw the huge sandwich Ethan had made himself. "Why don't you take your 'snack' to your room and maybe rest for an hour or two. We won't be going anywhere until Evan wakes up from his nap. That will be at least two hours."  
  
"You're sure you don't mind. We haven't caught up." Ethan said.  
  
"We can catch up tonight over dinner. You need some rest. I can keep myself occupied for an hour or two. Go!" Parker demanded as she pointed him toward his room.  
  
"Ok Mom." Ethan teased.  
  
Miss Parker sat on the sofa and grabbed the remote, "Let's see what's on TV." as she began flicking through the stations.  
  
When Jarod arrived almost three hours later, he found the condo strangely quiet except for the television. He saw Parker on the sofa her eyes closed, and covered with a blanket. He walked down the hall the room Parker shard with Evan and found his son asleep as well. When he closed the door he heard something from the last room. He peeked in, his eyes widened in shock as to who was sleeping on the bed. Ethan. He was about to leave when he heard Ethan stir.  
  
"What no 'hello' big brother?" Ethan asked as he stood and rubbed his eyes. Then he stretched as starting walking toward Jarod to embrace him.  
  
"Hello Ethan. You look good."  
  
"Actually I could really use a shower so I can get cleaned up."  
  
"Why don't you take what you need and use the shower off my bedroom. Evie, and Evan use the one down the hall. They'll both be waking up soon. What do you want for dinner? We can order in, go out or I have some really good steaks we could grill them up with some baked potato and some green beans."  
  
"Steaks sound good to me. Let me go get cleaned up."  
  
"Come into the living room when you're done. We'll be waiting."  
  
Jarod back to the living room where he found Parker sitting up and stretching as well. "Have a good nap, honey?" he teased.  
  
"Funny Jarod, Sleep is coming easier here, now that I've been able to relax. Are Ethan or Evan awake yet?" Parker asked as she yawned and craned her neck side to side to get the kinks out.  
  
"Ethan is he's taking a shower using my bathroom. Have you heard from Broots yet?"  
  
"No, but since I fell asleep, I should probably check my messages." She walked over to the counter where she had left her phone that morning. Picking it up she punched in her code to get her messages. "He called about 15 minutes ago. He was just leaving the hospital where Jacob had been. His flight is due to leave in two hours. He has all of the samples we need. By my calculations, he should be here in about 4-5 hours. What are you making for dinner?"  
  
"I thought I'd make some steaks and baked potatoes with green beans. Let's get started that way we can eat as soon as its done. You want to go get Evan up?"  
  
"Sure be back in a bit."  
  
O'Hare International Airport Chicago, IL 4-5 hours later  
  
"Where is Broots?" Parker demanded.  
  
"Evie relax, his plane only landed two minutes ago. Give him some time to get down here." Jarod laughed as she gave him one of her patented Miss- Parker-glares.  
  
"Fine I'll give him 25 minutes. I want this over with. When does his flight to San Francisco leave?"  
  
"In about 90 minutes. I didn't want him to have such a long layover in the same town as before."  
  
"There he is. Give me the briefcase Jarod. I'll need to exchange it with him." Parker took off to meet Broots halfway. They quickly exchanged briefcases. Broots also handed Parker his luggage claim ticket for the suitcase that would be coming down shortly. Broots nodded before heading off in the opposite direction, as now he had to run to catch his next flight.  
  
Parker walked back to Jarod, "Well we have the next set of pieces to the puzzle, all that's left is to get Ethan's."  
  
Jarod pulled her close into an embrace. "In a week we'll know Evie. In a week to 10 days we will know. No more secrets."  
  
"Jarod , lets go home to our son. I really need to hold him right now." Parker said into his shoulder as she returned the embrace briefly.  
  
They walked out of the airport to the car. They got in and fastened their seatbelts. Parker used her fingers to shape the briefcase. She closed her eyes and tried not to think about what she held. She felt her hand being squeezed. She opened her eyes to see Jarod's hand in hers.  
  
"Evie, I promise you, no matter what these tests reveal. We are still a family for Evan and we will work it out. About us, about everyone, you just have to trust me." Jarod said giving her hand another squeeze.  
  
"What are we doing when we get back home- to your place?"  
  
"I thought we could chill out. Have some dessert. Watch a few movies. I'll take the samples from Ethan, Evan, you and myself tonight. Tomorrow I'll go to the lab and get the test started. When I get back, we can look at what was in our various boxes and paperwork with Ethan. We'll then see what we can get figured out before the test results come back. We just have to take it a day at a time."  
  
"I can do that. I don't like it. I wasn't raised to be patient. It'd be nice to know who really is on my family tree." Parker settled back into the seat. "Let's take Evan to the zoo the day after tomorrow. He won't like being in the house all day tomorrow."  
  
"Ok, Evie. Do you want to call Sydney tonight?" Jarod asked.  
  
"I'd rather wait until we at least get the tests started. When we get a few more answers, we'll let them know. Besides I wouldn't want to deprive them of the joy of chasing after your many clues. It would be rude." Parker said innocently.  
  
"Well, we wouldn't want you to be rude, would we?" Jarod said as he pulled into the parking lot attatched to his building.  
  
TBC 


	4. Part 4a part b is not an alternative cha...

Disclaimer: The Pretender characters don't belong to me. They belong to NBC and MTM etc. But definitely don't belong to me. No infringement is implied etc. etc. However Liza and Ali , and Evan's personality belong to me.  
  
Author's note: This part takes place 10 days after part 3 ends MP and J are still in Chicago. Lyle, Sydney and Broots are still in California. The tourist places they visit in Chicago and in California are real places to visit. Everything else is the product of my imagination including any other companies and complications the characters run into. Also for any Non- American readers CST is 6 hours behind GMT and PST is 8 hours and EST is 5.  
  
Authors Note 2: First I want to say Thanks to all those who reviewed. Sorry this took so long. Please don't hate me for the whammy in this one. I never claimed to be a saint. Also Huge Thanks to KB, who gave me the courage to run with this. And Thunderchild for being a great beta reader. Couldn't have done it without you two.Thanks also to parkergirl69@hotmail.com for all your encouragement.  
  
Feed back wanted tigereyes320@hotmail.com  
My Dearest Angel By tigereyes320 Part 4a of 5  
  
Day 15 Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo  
  
"Momma, are you awake?" Evan asked sitting on his mother's bed.  
  
Miss Parker mumbled into her pillow.  
  
"MOMMA!" Evan yelled in her ear, now jumping up and down on the bed.  
  
"WHAT! Wh-What's wrong Evan?" Parker asked loudly opening her eyes in the still dark bedroom. "What time is it? Evan why aren't you in bed?" she struggled to clear her mind of the sleepiness.  
  
"Momma, I hungwy." Evan answered with a dimpled smile. "Can you fix me sumpin to eat?"  
  
Parker shook her head. 'He has no idea how much he looks like his father with that smile' She leaned over to check the clock that was beside the bed. Jarod wasn't on his side of the bed. She shook her head hoping he hadn't gone without sleep again last night. He was so exhausted, from working with Ethan on all the DNA stuff, sorting through the papers they both got from her father, and still showing Evan a good time in Chicago. "Evan!" she groaned. "Baby it is barely 6 o'clock. Let's sleep for about another hour, or two, or even three. Then I'll get up and fix you breakfast. Ok?" she asked.  
  
"Oh-tay. Can you tuck me in Momma?" Evan held out his arms to her.  
  
Parker drew him in close. She'd never tire of this sweet smelling baby smell, or the arms that wrapped around her so confident that she'd protect him. Parker felt a tug on her heart. 'Maybe Jarod's right about me being a good mom. I could definitely get used to having a couple of more around the house. I could even deal with the idea of gaining lots of weight and going through labor.' Parker felt Evan's breathing even out against her neck, telling her, her boy was asleep. She held him close, as she climbed out of the bed. "Let's put you back in your own bed." She went to his bedroom and put him back in his bed and tucked the covers around him. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. Parker then left his room, closing the door behind him. She was about to go back to the bedroom she'd been sharing platonically with Jarod when she saw a light in the living room. Parker walked down the hall to the living room to find Jarod asleep at his laptop. He was in the pajama bottoms he liked to sleep in. Parker deduced that he must have gotten up in the middle of the night, and rather then disturb her with his restlessness, came out and did some work. She glanced at the screen. It had a message saying sorting completed. Parker gave Jarod's shoulder a shake. "Wh-What's going on?" Jarod sleepily stretched and cracked a wide yawn. "'Scuse me. Evie? Did I wake you?"  
  
"No, Your son did. He's in his bed asleep. Why don't you follow his example? Save the stuff that you were working on and let's go back to bed. There's nothing it could say, that we can't deal with in the morning." Parker said rubbing his shoulder as she stood behind him at the desk.  
  
"We have our answer's Evie. We know who belongs with whom. The laptop just finished sorting the DNA results." Jarod informed her.  
  
"We'll talk about it tomorrow. Jarod you haven't been sleeping enough. You're exhausted. Let's go to bed, get some more sleep. The results will still be there in a couple of hours. Come on." Parker took his hand and tugged it a bit.  
  
"Ok. Let me just save the info and back it up. Your son has a tendency to delete my files." Jarod teased.  
  
"My son?! No-no-no-no you mean your son, who is know taking after his father and waking up his mother at some ungodly hour." Parker playfully bantered back as she walked across the room.  
  
Jarod stood after saving the file and backing it up twice. He locked the second copy away in the desk where Evan couldn't get to it. Parker waited by the hallway. When she saw he was following her, she went back to Jarod's room and climbed into the bed. She felt rather then saw Jarod join her. Parker turned and spooned herself into his back, putting her arms around him. Jarod relaxed closing his eyes and falling back asleep. Soon after she felt Jarod fall asleep. Parker joined him in a dreamland, that wouldn't have the revelations their real world would have in a few hours.  
  
The Beverly Hills Hotel Los Angeles, CA Lyle's Room  
  
Lyle shot up in the bed as the dream faded. He sat up in the bed and waited until his breathing pattern returned to normal. He'd been having more and more dreams about his mother, sister and the rest of his family, since he told Sydney about them. He got out of bed and went into the bathroom. He turned on the light and leaned over the sink. Lyle turned the water on, and cupped his hands to hold the water and splashed some on his face. He took the towel and dried his face off. As he looked into the mirror he sighed. "You know something Catherine, I really hope I'm not your son. I hate to think that I could come from the same place Parker does." Lyle shook his head at his reflection. As he left the bathroom he turned off the light. He climbed back into bed and turned over on his side. 'I wonder how Parker and Jarod are getting on?' Then for a moment he thought of what it would be like to have someone waiting at home for him. Wanting him to walk through the door, and say 'Honey, I'm home.' Lyle gave himself a mental shake. 'Even if I come out of this alive. I can't offer anyone any kind of life. Not after all I've done and seen.' As he began to drift back off, Lyle thought 'I'll ask Sydney what he thinks.'  
  
Jarod's Condo Chicago, IL @3 hours later  
  
Jarod rolled over to see bits of sunlight streaming into the room. He reached over for Parker but found her side of the bed empty. When he became more aware of his surroundings, he heard Evan's giggling coming from the kitchen as well as murmurs of a conversation between Ethan and Parker mingling with the giggles. Jarod tossed back the covers and went into the bathroom.  
  
Twenty minutes later Jarod exited his bedroom still rubbing his hair dry with a towel. "Daddy! We habbing pancakes for bwekfast." Evan beamed through his syrup covered face.  
  
"Good morning big brother. Can I get you some food or coffee?" Ethan offered as he was standing by the stove getting some more coffee himself.  
  
"That would be great. Thanks. Did you or Evie cook?"  
  
"Trying to say something about my cooking monkey-boy" Parker asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"No. Not me, after all what can one say about your cooking?"  
  
"Nothing if they want to continue breathing."  
  
When there was a knock on the door, it startled everyone but Evan who was still eating his pancakes. Out of habit, Parker out of habit reached for her gun which wasn't sitting at her back; Jarod looked around the room quickly for an escape route the same as Ethan.  
  
The three adults calmed slightly when they heard a voice from the other side of the door. "Jarod are you in there, we have to talk, son."  
  
Jarod ran to the door and opened it. He enveloped the gray-haired man who was standing on the opposite side in a massive hug. "Dad! I didn't know you were coming. Come in. How are Emily and the boy? What is he calling himself now?"  
  
"I don't know son he changes it every week. Hello Ethan, Miss Parker."  
  
"Hello Major Charles. Please help yourself to coffee and breakfast."  
  
"GWAMPA!" Evan hollered braking the ice very neatly for all.  
  
"Well , who do we have hear?" Charles crossed the room to the highchair Evan was sitting in. "You must be Evan. You have your mommy's eyes and your daddy's smile. That must make you my grandson."  
  
"Yep." Evan smiled.  
  
"I can't wait for your mother to see him, Jarod." Major Charles said as he turned to look at his son.  
  
"Mom? You've found Mom? I haven't seen her since I, or rather we missed her on the Isle of Carthis. Is she ok?" Jarod asked the questions so fast they ran over each other.  
  
"She's fine son. Ethan told me where you were staying. She's going to try and meet us here in a few days. She can help us get rid of the Centre as we know it."  
  
"Mom. . . is coming here? I get to see her?" Jarod asked hesitantly, scared that if he let his hopes get too high again, just to have them dashed.  
  
Parker put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Jarod automatically reached up to cover her hand and gave it an answering squeeze. Major Charles caught the byplay of actions out of the corner of his eye. He kept his thoughts and his worries to himself. He looked up and saw Parker looking at him with a raised eyebrow. 'She knows exactly what I'm thinking.' He gave her a nod.  
  
"Daddy see Mommy? Mommy wight here Daddy." Evan said.  
  
"No Evan, not your Mommy. My Mom. Your Grandma." Jarod gently explained.  
  
"Oh-tay." Evan said fisting up the last of his pancakes and shoving them into his mouth.  
  
"Evan! We're going to have to talk about table manners, if you keep eating like your Daddy." Parker said shaking her head in dismay.  
  
"Oh-tay Mommy." Evan agreed around his mouthful of pancakes. "That's ok Evan. At your age you can get away with eating like that. It's us adults that can't." Major Charles said as he walked over to the sink and accepted the cup of coffee that Parker had poured him. "By the way Jarod, Emily is almost through physical therapy, they are expecting her to make a full recovery. You can visit her now. She asked that you come by when you had a chance. She'll probably be at the rehabilitation center for another month." Charles said as he sat down next to Evan and let the boy share his toast with him.  
  
"I'll try to see her soon. Parker and I have some test results to deal with, and we need to let Sydney and Lyle know about the results." Jarod said expecting a reaction from his father, he didn't have to wait for it.  
  
"Lyle! That piece of lying, conniving, deceitful, son of a b-gun." Charles stopped himself before saying something worse in front of Evan. "He shot your brother. Your mother and I'll never see Kyle again because of him. You want to give him information? Why?"  
  
"It's complicated Major." Parker answered for Jarod. "Jarod and I don't trust Lyle either. However, new information has come up concerning our past, all of our pasts. Before we make any move on the Centre I, We have to know everything. Lyle is a part of that."  
  
"Fine. I can't tell either of you what to do you're adults. Just watch your back with him. I don't trust him any further then I can throw a semi- truck." Charles said.  
  
"Major, Since Ethan, Jarod and I are going to need to go over the results. Why don't you take Evan in an hour or so down to the exercise club, they have in the building. They've got a swimming pool that Evan loves. I'm going to grab a shower and get changed. I'll leave you gentlemen to figure it out." Parker walked past Evan's highchair to be the recipient of a maple syrupy kiss. "You listen to Daddy, Uncle Ethan and Grandpa. You understand?"  
  
"Yes Momma. I wisten weal good. I pwomise." Evan said giving his mother an innocent look he could only have gotten from his father. She shook her head with a groan and went down the hall, to get herself ready for the day.  
  
The Beverly Hills Hotel Los Angeles, CA The Dinning Room of the Restaurant.  
  
"Good morning Sydney, Broots. Sleep well?" Lyle asked as he came to the table and sat down with them. He signaled the waitress. "Coffee, Black, scrambled eggs, bacon, and whole wheat toast please." After the waitress nodded and took the order he continued, "Have you heard from them yet?"  
  
"No Word yet, Mr. Lyle." Broots said. "Do you know where we are supposed to be looking for Jarod today or are we able to rest after everywhere else he has had us look?"  
  
"I think after everywhere he's had us go in the last ten days we deserve a break. You two can do whatever you like today. Just don't tell the tower I said so."  
  
"Well look at where he has sent us and what we've had to look for." Sydney said. "Jarod obviously had this planned for sometime. He wanted us busy and out of his hair for a long time."  
  
"What was your first clue, Sydney? The fact that; First, we had to search all of Chinatown, in San Francisco, just to have him send us to Disneyland. Second, we had to go through the whole park and get on how many different rides to get the clue, that he left us in the Haunted Mansion that brought us to Hollywood. Third, we then had to climb to the top of the Hollywood sign, to get the next clue, which led us to the Los Angeles Zoo. The Fourth clue we found in the Reptile house, that brought us back to the Hollywood. Where the Fifth clue took us on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. We found that clue and that led us to number six in our clues . . . Where again did that sixth clue lead us?" Broots said as he ticked off each of the destinations they had been at, in the last 10 days, on his fingers.  
  
"It led us to Mann's Chinese Theatre, where all the hand prints and footprints of the stars are. You're also forgetting our side trip to the Santa Monica Pier. " Lyle said. "Oh yeah, The theatre is where Jarod booby-trapped that block of cement. When you stepped on it you became stuck there for four hours while it played . . . What song did it play? Oh yeah it played a montage of Disney songs especially 'It's a Small World after All." Broots grinned at the memory, and then cut the smile quickly. Lyle had been in a better mood in the past two weeks then Broots had ever seen before, but he wasn't about to push his luck. He stole a glance at Sydney who was also struggling to keep a straight face. "Sydney, how was dinner with your son and his girlfriend?" he asked to get the conversation moving in a different direction.  
  
Sydney swallowed his own laughter at the picture Lyle made stuck to the concrete while the songs played for four solid hours. "Dinner, was fine Broots. Ali is a lovely young woman. She's about the same age as Nicholas, with an incredible sense of humor. She'll definitely be keeping Nicholas on his toes." Sydney paused as the waitress set down Lyle's food. She turned and put a plate of food on the next table in front of a pleasant looking blonde woman. "Could I have some more Coffee please?" Sydney asked before the waitress left, who nodded. "Ali teaches American History at Nicholas' college. She's also going for her Doctorate in Theatre. She has a Master's in Education. Nicholas confided in me that he's planning to buy her a ring this week. They both want to start their family while they are young. If all goes well, this time next year I could be a grandfather. Michelle is ecstatic at the idea of being a grandmother. Once he gets married Lyle, I'm cutting back on my time at the Centre. I'm sixty-eight years old, I need to think about retiring." he waited to see what Lyle's reaction would be.  
  
Lyle looked at Sydney. He knew they expected him to become mean again, become Lyle again. He put down his fork, "Whatever you want to do I'll support you. Maybe we could cut you down to three days a week, say Tuesday through Thursday, you could then spend Friday through Monday in Albany. We'll work it out." Lyle said as he popped a bite of toast into his mouth.  
  
They sat companionably at the table finishing their food. Twenty minutes later as they stood up to pay the check. Sydney's phone rang.  
  
"This is Sydney "  
  
"Sydney it's Jarod. Don't say my name, you could be being watched. We have the results. I'll give you ten minutes to get somewhere a little more secure and call you right back" Jarod said shortly and then hung up.  
  
"Yes Michelle, I understand, I'll see how quickly I can get away. I'll call you in an hour with my final arrangements." Sydney acted as if he were still on the call.  
  
Lyle and Broots were still there looking at him. With a nod of his head, Sydney motioned them to continue out of the restaurant. They paid the bill on the way out.  
  
After they left, neither of the trio noticed the blonde that was sitting at the table next to them, leave money for her own bill, and followed them out of the restaurant, careful to have enough distance between her and the three men. While the blonde followed behind them discreetly, she removed a cell phone from her pocket. "I'm following them now."  
  
Ten minutes later. Broots Room The Beverly Hills Hotel  
  
As Sydney's phone rang again, he quickly answered. "Jarod?" He held the phone away so Lyle and Broots could hear the conversation.  
  
"How soon can you three get to Chicago. I also need you to get Debbie, Nicholas and Michelle here. If you are here having a small break it is a little more believable." Jarod asked.  
  
"I'll have to check with Lyle, I'll call you on Miss Parker's line within the hour. If Nicholas comes, he'll probably want to bring his fiancée."  
  
"We'll work it all out Sydney. I have our answers. We just need to make sure all the questions have been asked. I'll talk to you soon."  
  
As soon as Sydney disconnected his call, Lyle's phone rang, making Broots jump. Lyle's phone ringing could only mean Raines was calling about something.  
  
"This is Lyle." he paused "Hello Dad!" he said sarcastically. "Yes we're still looking for Jarod. He obviously set us up on some huge goose chase. I doubt he was here at all except to set up the pranks. You what? I don't have time for this. Fine! I said Fine! Send her out She can finish this goose chase. I have a personal errand to run so I'll be out of touch for the next few days. Of course I'll leave the sweepers and the jet at the woman's disposal. When can I expect her? What?! Yes I'll see you back in Blue cove in a few days. Since I'm taking a few days. I'm letting Sydney and Broots spend some time with their families as well. See you then." Lyle cut Raines off in mid diatribe. Lyle paced back and forth in the room for a few minutes before he relayed what Raines had wanted. "Raines has hired a new member for our team. She'll be meeting us in the lobby in fifteen minutes."  
  
"What new member?" Sydney asked perplexed.  
  
"Someone Raines found who will finish our little goose chase for us. It gives us enough time to meet in Chicago. What we will do is fly from here to Blue Cove. The layover spot is in Cleveland. When we layover we simply won't meet the connecting flight. We then get flights to Chicago using cash and fictitious names. Sydney call Jarod back and let him know the latest version of events. Tell him we'll be in Chicago possibly tonight, at the latest tomorrow. We'll arrive at different times on different flights. We should all be there by tomorrow morning at the latest. I'm going downstairs to meet our newest recruit." with that Lyle pivoted on his heel and walked out of Broots' room.  
  
Broots and Sydney watched him leave apprehensively. "I don't like this Sydney. The last time we got a new member, it was Brigitte, you remember how well that turned out."  
  
"I know. I'm more worried about Lyle right now. He's at a crossroads in his life. He can remain on the same destructive path that will get him killed by Jarod, Miss Parker, or the Centre. Whereas, he could go the other way and attempt to redeem himself for what he's done in the past, in which case the Centre could still try to kill him. I don't know how good this new recruit is going to be for Lyle either. We'll have to wait and see. Broots go down and meet her. I'll call Jarod and let him in on the plan."  
  
"Okay Sydney." Broots left as well.  
  
Meanwhile Down in the Lobby  
  
Lyle walked off the elevator with a lot more confidence then what he felt. He looked around the lobby trying to locate the woman Raines had mentioned. 'Okay I'm looking for a blonde, what is it with him and Blondes anyway. Well built hmmm.'  
  
"Mr. Lyle I presume?" a throaty voice behind him asked.  
  
He turned and saw a very lovely woman in front of him. Brigitte had been good looking, but there had always been an air of desperate hunger about her. This woman had no such air. She like Parker was all class. She looked to be around 5'7", a dark blonde with brighter highlights and eyes the color of a stormy sea, changeable according to her mood. She was almost too lovely to be working for the Centre "Yes, I'm Mr. Lyle. The other members of the team will be down to meet you in a few moments. I'm sorry, you are?"  
  
"Nichols. Elizabeth Nichols. You may call me Liza." Liza said this with an air of permission from mistress to servant.  
  
"Liza, how long have you worked for the Centre? Do you have a family? I ask this because you'll be out on the coast for about a week. I want to be sure your mind will be on the job ahead of you." Lyle asked as the voices that were in his dreams suddenly found their voice and were telling him 'She's not what she appears to be, be careful!'  
  
"Awful lot of questions Mr. Lyle, Especially considering that the corporation we work for is known for its secrets." Liza said raising her left eyebrow at him questioningly. "To answer your questions in order: I've worked for the Centre less then a week. I've two children, they are at a private school during the week, home with me on the weekends. Right now they are each attending a second summer camp, my daughter an Art Camp, my son a Music Camp. Nothing gets in the way of me doing my job Mr. Lyle. Nothing." Liza repeated quietly and with firmness.  
  
"I simply like to know what my people do in their spare time, Liza. I'm sorry if you have a problem with that." Lyle explained, not sure what to make of this new team member.  
  
"My life is an open book, Sir. I just keep my children from my work. With their father dead I'm all they have. Is the rest of team going to be joining us?" Liza asked as she looked around for the elusive members of the team.  
  
"Yes, they will be down in just a few moments. Why don't I see what's keeping them?" Lyle turned on his heel and went to the concierge's desk to use the phone to call Broots room.  
  
While his back was turned Liza pulled out a cellular phone and hit a few number to activate a speed dial. She glanced back to where Lyle was on the phone. When the phone stopped ringing, she jumped in without preamble. "I'm on the team. Everything is going exactly as planned. No he hasn't a clue. Lyle will be the problem. I think he's suspicious, Yes I know what I have to do. You just make sure Raines doesn't get involved. He shoots first and never bothers to ask questions." Liza quickly disconnected the call and slipped the phone in her pocket, as she heard Lyle's footsteps approach.  
  
"Sorry that took so long. After I left Sydney got a phone call he had to take. Could I persuade you to go into the lounge, maybe have some coffee and croissants while we wait for them to join us." Lyle offered as gallantly as he could manage. Meanwhile his internal senses were on red alert. Lyle wasn't sure if it was because he was positive she was hiding something, or if it was because he was so incredibly attracted to her. He felt like an animal that had just gotten his first whiff of his chosen mate in heat. He had never heeded these senses before, but this time he didn't think it would be wise to ignore them. He shook his head to try and clear it. "I'm sorry, shall we? Lyle asked as he gestured toward the doorway of the restaurant.  
  
"You're the boss. Mr. Lyle" Liza said in frosty tone as she allowed him to propel her into the restaurant. 'How could she be so attracted to this man within minutes of meeting him. This was really weird. Fortunately I know his taste run to petite dark and of Asian descent'  
  
"There's the rest of the team. Sydney! Broots!"  
  
When they came over Liza rose and coolly shook each gentleman's hand as they were introduced.  
  
"Well," Lyle said rubbing his hands together. "Let's bring you up to speed on Jarod, what we've found so far and what you'll be expected to do until you return to the Centre in a week and meet up with all of us including my sister, who is the team leader, for now anyway." Lyle tried to imply in his tone that he would have no problem walking over his sister should the need arise.  
  
"Let's get started then." Liza said as she made a mental measure of each man and filed it in her memory banks for later use. Her eyes met Lyle's across the table, she could have sworn she saw fireworks.  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Apartment A couple of hours later  
  
Miss Parker stood, with her arms crossed in front of her, looking out the window. She saw people and traffic as they rushed to and from work. The book she had been trying to read was abandoned on the sofa. She felt Jarod behind her and she allowed herself a small grin. "What did Sydney want?"  
  
"Just to tell us there is a new member of the team. They should all be in Chicago by late tonight. I'm putting them up at the Palmer House, on the Centre's dime of course." Jarod smiled at the thought.  
  
"Of course. Wait a minute. What new team member?" Parker asked worriedly.  
  
"Sydney said a new woman has joined the team. They are about to go and meet her. When they get in they'll tell us more. It sounds to me like she might be some piece of work." Jarod said as he put his hands on her shoulders and lightly began kneading the tightly clenched muscles. "You need to relax Evie." He said as massaged the tension he knew she always had there.  
  
Parker took a deep breath and allowed herself to relax, for a few moments, as his fingers worked like magic against the tension always found in her neck and shoulders. When he finished she leaned into him and they both watched the city from their perch for a little while.  
  
They were still standing there thirty minutes later when Evan, Ethan, and Major Charles walked in to the room.  
  
"Momma, Daddy!" Evan shouted as he ran toward them and threw his arms around their legs with all the gale force of a tornado. "I went swimming wif Gwampa and Unca Etan!"  
  
"What are you doing back so soon?" Jarod asked as he picked Evan up.  
  
"I hungwy Daddy." Evan said with such a puppy dog expression, you'd never have known he stuffed himself full just a few hours ago. "It wunchtime and I want pizza! Pweeze?"  
  
"He definitely inherited your penchant for junk food." Parker said shaking her head at the two of them.  
  
"Hey! You'd have my penchant for junk food to if you had, had to eat all those nutritional supplements and wheat-grass shakes for thirty plus years." Jarod retorted back.  
  
"I suppose that could be true." Parker told him as she stretched her arms out to Evan. "Let's go get you changed."  
  
"I'll do it sis, I have to get changed anyway." Ethan offered.  
  
Jarod put Evan down. As he reached for his Uncle's hand, Evan turned back to his mother and asked "Momma, Can I watch cawtoons?"  
  
"Not until after you change your clothes, and only until lunch arrives." Parker said with mock severity.  
  
"Oh-tay! Les go Unca Etan. C'mon!" Evan said pulling his uncle toward his room.  
  
"Ok, OK! I'm coming." Ethan said laughingly as let himself be tugged from the living room.  
  
Major Charles shook his head as he watched his grandson order his son around. He glanced back at Jarod and wondered if she realized he still had his arm draped over her shoulders. "Do you two want to order the food? Or should I?" he asked.  
  
"Dad go ahead and get cleaned up. Evie and I can order lunch."  
  
"See you two in a bit."Major Charles said as he went into Ethan's room to change.  
  
"Jarod," Parker complained as she followed him into the kitchen. "I'm really not in the mood for pizza."  
  
"How about this Italian place? They have pizza as well as different kinds of dishes. I know you aren't as big of fan of pizza as Evan and I are." Jarod asked as he held up a take-out menu.  
  
Parker shook her head, 'It's uncanny how well he knows me.' "I'm in the mood for something rich. How about some Fettucini Alfredo with grilled chicken and broccoli. I'll go down to the gym laterm and work it off." she said.  
  
"You got it. Do you want me to have them include a salad?" Jarod asked as his fingers punched in the number.  
  
Parker left the kitchen as Jarod placed the order, she went over to the window again and resumed her observation of the city. She heard rather then saw Major Charles come into the room behind her. "Enjoying the view?" he asked.  
  
"It's hard to believe to believe that in less then a week, I have to go back to. . .that place. When I get back, I have to make everyone believe I not only want to catch the father of my son, but that I despise him as well." Parker paused as she put her hand up to the cool glass, it seemed to steady her, as she continued, "I don't know what to do! If I attempt in any way not to do my job they'll threaten Evan. I don't want my son to grow up as I did, without a mother. I've given Jarod instructions that if anything happens to me, he's to get Evan out of there, no matter what. I'll need a favor from you, if that happens." Parker requested quickly, before she could lose her nerve.  
  
"What favor do you need Eve?" Charles asked.  
  
"If something happens to me. You'll make sure Evan is taken care of. I know Jarod will be there for him, but raising a toddler by himself. I need to know that you and your family will be there for him. Telling him about me and his grandmother, my mom."  
  
"Eve, I swear to you, Evan will always be looked after." Charles watched as Parker slowly nodded to herself, as if checking off something on her to do list. "Any particular reason, that you want to share with me why you think you won't make it?" He was concerned, Jarod and Ethan had told him she had Catherine's Inner Sense.  
  
"No specific reason, just the feeling of someone walking over my grave. The voices, her voice in particular, keep telling me everything will be fine. The potential, though, for it all blow up in our face has always been there. It's going to come down to one person coming through whether or not we succeed in taking down the Centre, or should I say take it over." Parker allowed herself a smile when she said, "I'm sure Jarod has a plan B, C, and even a D, E, and F if necessary. I do think one of us isn't coming out of this alive."  
  
"Do you have any idea who it might be?" Charles felt a hand clutch at his heart.  
  
"No. I don't even know if I'm right, but I swear to you it will not be Jarod." Parker said in her iciest voice.  
  
The Beverly Hills Hotel Los Angeles, CA @ 11:30 a.m. PST  
  
Sydney had finished his packing and was just about to close the suitcase when there was a knock on his door. He paused what he was doing to walk over and answer it to reveal Broots.  
  
"Hey Sydney. You ready to go?" Broots asked as he walked into the room with his own bag.  
  
"I'm almost done. What do you think of Ms. Nichols, Broots?" Sydney asked as he went back to the bed to close and lock his suitcase.  
  
"Honestly? I think Lyle has the hots for her. I could see the attraction from where I was. I think she has it in spades for him as well." Broots walked over to the window so he could see smogged Los Angeles. "I think they both got a case of hot and heavy lust. I get the feeling thought that there might be something more beneath it all. I highly doubt that either of them would admit to be anything other then lust." Broots insightfully remarked as he turned from the window to look at Sydney.  
  
"I agree. It is fascinating to observe Lyle in this kind of situation. I don't think he's ever had that kind of animal attraction hit him like this. I'm done." Sydney said as he snapped the suitcase shut. "We had better get ready to meet him downstairs." Sydney walked to the door and waited for Broots to grab his bag and follow him out the door. "I'll tell you one thing Sydney. I wouldn't want to be the person who comes between those two. The last time I saw sparks like that was when Thomas came by The Centre and Miss Parker met him by Security. Even though she had supposedly dumped him that charge of electricity was there. I wonder where the two of them ended up after that 2 hour long get to know you session we had downstairs." Broots said as he and Sydney walked to the elevators after shutting the hotel room door.  
  
"I'm sure they went somewhere to work out their differences of opinion." Sydney said as the elevator slid open and they stepped on.  
  
Lyle's Hotel Room The Beverly Hills Hotel Same Time  
  
Lyle stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't remember ever being in such seeming peace before. Even if he did think he had probably just made one of the most unwise decisions in his life. 'I really should be getting up and getting dressed if I'm going to meet Sydney and Broots downstairs in.' he glanced at his watch the was lying on the end table by the bed, ' in about 20 minutes.' He glance at the woman who was in the bed beside him snuggled into the warmth his body heat let off. He reached over to the phone and pushed the button for the reception desk.  
  
"This is Mr. Lyle tell my party when they ask, that I'm running late. I should be down in about 30 minutes. Thank you." Lyle said as he hung up the phone. As he did the woman beside him murmured as she became more coherent.  
  
"Mmmmmm" Liza purred as sat up holding the sheet modestly to her breasts affording Lyle a nice view of the long line of her back.. She twisted her head and looked him in the eyes. Lyle reached over to cup her jaw with his hand. He pulled her toward him and kissed her softly on the lips.  
  
Liza looked at him as they pulled apart. "Lyle. . .You're regretting this aren't you?" she asked mildly disturbed at his reaction upon waking up.  
  
"I don't usually jump into bed with someone I've known barely 6 hours." Liza said a bit perturbed thought she couldn't have said at who she was perturbed at.  
  
"I'm not saying you do Liza. It's just that," Lyle broke off as he spooned his body behind hers and wrapped his arms around her linking their hands in front of her. He then continued, "I have done stuff like this before, and I'm not particularly proud of that. In the past I acted before I thought and I hurt a lot of people. I don't want to hurt you. I like you, Liza. I'm obviously attracted you." Lyle let go of one of her hands to slide his finger up and down her arm. Slender but strong he thought. "Liza, we just had the most incredible sex I've been privileged to take part in. But, we work for the Centre, a place that doesn't inspire happy and loyal feelings. Honestly Liza I don't know if I trust you." Lyle was surprised how quickly she rolled away from him and jumped off the bed. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back on to the bed and under him. He put his hand on either side of her face as he tried to avoid her fists. "LIZA!" Lyle shouted to get her attention.  
  
Liza looked at him with eyes full of hurt and a shimmer of tears.  
  
Lyle put his arms around her and rolled over so that she was sprawled over his chest. He held her for just a few minutes savoring the feel of her against him. He moved again so that they were lying side by side. He wanted to see her face when he said the rest of what he had to say. "Liza, I didn't say that to hurt you . We are both over the age of 18 and are consenting adults. We both decided to come back her and do this. I am not blaming or accusing you. I'm here because wanted to be here and I wanted you. I guess I'm asking where if anywhere do we go from here?"  
  
Liza reached out and stroked Lyle's face, tracing all the angles found there."I don't know. I really didn't expect this. How about, for right now, we just pretend this is a moment out of time. When we're both back in Blue Cove, we can discuss this like the reasonable, mature adults I know we are." Liza said as she cupped his face in her hands and pulled it closer to her own.  
  
"Absolutely! We can be reasonable mature adults." Lyle agreed as he pressed soft kisses along her jaw as she moved and was beneath him again.  
  
"Didn't I hear something about you having to meet Sydney and Broots in about 15 minutes." Liza said as her breath caught in her chest as Lyle continued pressing kisses against her skin moving slowly down her neck.  
  
Lyle looked at her with what could only be a wicked grin. "I guess I'm going to bea little late."  
  
"I guess you will." Liza said as she drew her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers.  
  
Meanwhile. . . Lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel  
  
Sydney and Broots waited by the checkout desk. Sydney looked pointedly at his watch for what was seemingly the tenth time in as many minutes.  
  
"This is unlike Lyle. He's rarely if ever late." Sydney said as he sat down next to Broots who was calmly reading a MAD magazine.  
  
"Did you ask the person at the desk if he left us a message?" Broots asked absentmindly as he read.  
  
"No I didn't." Sydney replied.  
  
He got up and waited patiently for the receptionist at the desk to finish checking in the couple in front of him. When they took their leave. He stepped up and asked her "Has Mr. Lyle in suite 5A checked out yet?"  
  
"Let me check that for you sir." she said. "Mr Lyle called down about 10 minutes ago saying he was running late and should be down in about 30 minutes. Would you like me to ring his room, Sir?" the question was politely asked.  
  
"No, thank you. We'll just wait for him over here. Thank you for checking." Sydney said as he turned back to Broots. "Lyle will be down stairs in a half an hour."  
  
Broots raised his eyes from his magazines. His eyebrows followed. "I wonder what could be holding him up? Or should I wonder 'who' could be holding him up?" he asked with a grin haunting the corners of his mouth.  
  
Sydney fought to keep his own expression straight not quite succeeding considering the way his mouth kepttwitching into a smile. "Broots, just because we suspect something. Does not make it true."  
  
"Point taken. So what's Jarod's plan for us?" Broots asked as he changed the line of conversation.  
  
Sydney took a deep breath and sat back down beside Broots. After quickly looking around them to make sure noone could overhear them. "We're all flying back to Blue Cove. From there the three of us split up. I'm flying to Albany ostensibly to spend time with Michelle and Nicholas. I'm actually picking them up with Ali and we're flying to New York City and then we are flying to Chicago. You and Debbie will be flying from Blue Cove to Washington D.C. to Nashville amd then to Indianapolis and then driving from there to Chicago. Jarod has us all staying at the Palmer House under an alias. We pick up identification and the plane tickets with the same fake names. Lyle will go from Blue Cove to Atlanta to Dallas to Milwaukee and then he'll be driving to Chicago as well. Do you have the laptops in a secured location?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yeah. I stored them when I was in Chicago the last time and gave Miss Parker the samples. Why am I bringing Debbie for only a few days?"  
  
"Because when you usually have a few days off you two go and do something together. Not taking her would raise a flag we don't want raised flags. It's also why I'm taking Michelle, Nicholas and Alli with me."  
  
"So how much longer until Lyle is done. I mean until he is expected." Broots grimaced at the unintentional double entendre  
  
"Probably 15-20 minutes." Sydney replied ignoring the double meaning of Broots' words.  
  
"So what do we do until then?"  
  
"We wait."  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo @ 1:00 p.m. CST  
  
After eating and putting Evan down for a nap. Ethan decided to go explore some of down Chicago. Major Charles decided to accompany him.  
  
Eve and Jarod sat in front of his computer going over all of the notes and plans for taking over The Centre.  
  
"Is it going to be enough, Jarod?" Parker asked hesitantly.  
  
"The Centre has always used its unlimited resources to do its intimidation routine. If we take away the sources that make up the resources, we'll take away its leverage. We transfer that leverage to our side and take the Centre over. If we agree to honor all current contracts and in the future only take those we want to. Those who want results and want to know how we get them. We also let all those who want to leave, leave. Those 'residents' who want to stay or need to thanks to Raines and his experiments don't have a home to go to, so they will receive a wage and private quarters. No more cameras recording every breath they take. We might even want to go to the Triumvirate and tell thm they let us run the Centre our way our we'll sic the IRS on it after destroying any and all of their tax records for the past 20 years. Doing that and tying up all their assets so that they are unable to pay all of the fines the IRS is sure to stick them with." Jarod explained smiling hugely to himself at the thought of the Centre in court.  
  
"Are we bluffing or is this something we can really do?"  
  
"I could have wiped out those records within a month of escaping. Over the next three days I'm going to lock up all the money directly tied to the Centre and everyone's access to it. Peoples personal money salary and credit cards won't be effected but anyone trying to access Corporate funds won't be able to do it for 48 hours. Broots will be able to undo what I've done. Within 48 hours of his fix I will send a letter with my demands. They do as I ask or I lock up the funds permanently and the send the records to the IRS." Jarod said smirking.  
  
"I hope this works." Eve sais as she tried hard not to laugh at Jarod's self-satisfied expression.  
  
"It will. We'll assign all the roles once everyone gets here tomorrow."  
  
The Beverly Hills Hotel Los Angeles, CA Lyle's Room @ 12:00 p.m.  
  
Lyle stood at the mirror tying his tie and self-consciously smoothed his hair back off of his face. As we looked at his reflection his gaze fell on the hand he constantly had gloved. The glove remained on his hand even while he had made love to Liza.  
  
"I know about the thumb Lyle." Liza said as she came up behind him looking very fetching in the hotel issued bathrobe. The steam from her shower still lay on her skin.  
  
Lyle looked over at her and gave her a smile. "I know you do. Listen, I know we said we should keep this as a moment out of time, but here are all my personal numbers and email." Lyle said as he handed her a business card. "I really want to see you again, Liza. We'll do this on your terms." Lyle paused as his cell phone rang. "Excuse me. This is Lyle. Hello, Sydney. Yes I'm leaving right now. I'll be downstairs in just a few moments." Lyle ended the call. "I've got to go. Think about what I've said?"  
  
"Ok. I'll think about it." Liza said with a smile.  
  
Lyle picked up his bag and was about to go out the door when he paused, turned and walked back to her. He swooped her into his arms for a blistering hot, hard kiss. Lyle released her turned on his heel and walked out the door closing it as he left.  
  
As she stared at the closed door behind him 'Please don't let me be wrong on this.' She went over to her purse took out a tiny black box and a second cell phone after flipping a small switch on the box, she speed dialed a number. "It's me. Lyle Parker won't be a problem." Liza ended the call and sat down on the still rumpled bed. "God, Please, Please don't let me end up regretting this." She pleaded as she put her face in her hands and began to weep.  
  
Meanwhile Down Stairs in the Lobby  
  
Lyle ran into the lobby. "I apologize. I didn't mean to be late. Let's get going so we don't miss the flight." Lyle said quickly as he all but ran past Sydney and Broots.  
  
Left with the choice of trying to talk to him and being left behind or grabbing their stuff and confronting Lyle in the car. Sydney and Broots chose the latter. That picked up their things and all but ran after him to catch up. Once they were settled in the car and on their way to the airport  
  
Once in the car and headed to the airport. Sydney ventured to ask, "Lyle, didn't we need to check out?"  
  
"Liza is taking care of it." Lyle replied absently.  
  
"Really?" Broots asked eyebrows raised. He then added "How was-is she?" Broots mentally winced at the slip. Lyle snapped his head around to glare at Broots, who slowly winked at him with a knowing grin on his face. Lyle raised his eyebrows and said with attempted nonchalance, "I don't know what you are talking about."  
  
Broots rolled his eyes and said teasingly, "Of course not! That would imply that you are an impulsive human being, possibly one that actually acts on their hormones. As opposed to a robot of a man that has no feelings at all." Broots paused as he realized he might have gone to far. "You DO realize I'm kidding, right? It's none of my business what you do with whom and that's if you've done anything to begin with." Broots began to babble as his face turned red with his embarrassment.  
  
Sydney decided to weigh in with his opinion. "Lyle, she does work for the Centre."  
  
"I know that." Lyle said as he looked out the car window. "For once, Sydney, I heeded the voices inside me. They told me she was mine, she was meant to be mine. They also told me to be careful, because she isn't what she seems."  
  
"What brought all this change on, Lyle? Nothing personal but it seems like this is a scene from 'Invasion of the body snatchers.'" Broots asked perplexed.  
  
"Broots has a point Lyle. Was it the dreams that started all this or was it something else?" Sydney inquired, unable to help himself from being concerned about this apparent child of his dear friend.  
  
"It started with the dreams, or should I say the nightmare," Lyle said giving in to the overwhelming need to finally unburden himself. Right after we got back from Morocco it started. You know on the plane, when we were about to crash, I had to guess which wire matched the blue. Something in my head told me the one I first wanted to choose was wrong. I'd never before listened to that voice. This time I knew I had one last chance to listen to it, and I did. That choice saved all of our lives. We flew back that night. Raines told me then he wanted his thumb back. I knew that wasn't a request. The night after the surgery, I had this horrific nightmare, it was from the time I was at the Bowmans's. I was locked in the shed again, this was right before Raines started coming by." Lyle paused not knowing if he should keep talking. He realized that if he wanted to be the better person, he thought he could be he needed to get all of this out in the open.  
  
Lyle then continued, "You know sometimes when I was in that shed, I would see this faint image of a tall brunette with these bright blue eyes, she would tell me how sorry she was that I was in pain, but she knew I was strong enough to survive it, and that she . . .loved me. When Raines started 'training me' he said I had to ignore her whenever I saw her. She was nothing to me. I think that whole experience was why when I first saw Parker I was so attracted to her, and that was even when Raines was telling me I was her brother. I wanted to hear again from the beautiful brunette that I was loved." Lyle shuddered with the memories that would often overwhelm him with all that he had done and to whom over the past twenty odd years of his life. "By the time I finally met up with Parker my hands were stained with so much blood, I'd never be able to wash them clean. Since I saw no way of redeeming myself in her eyes or in the eyes of the brunette in my dream. I just kept up my self-destructive behavior. Including all the machinations that the Centre and my previous behaviors had visited upon me. My what a vicious circle I created. But then when Dad- I mean Mr. Parker died, I thought maybe Parker and I could have an uneasy sort of truce, a way for both of us to stay Alive, while we plotted to overthrow Raines. Even thought I knew I wasn't her brother, I had switched the test results myself. I just had come to the realization, I didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted my family on my side. I could fight these demons inside me with my family by my side. I hated the fact that I was Mr. Lyle. It was after this self-discovery that the dreams with the brunette came back. By this time, of course, I knew she was Catherine Parker, my supposed mother. They came more and more frequently. I was having anywhere from 2-4 dreams a night. I was going to talk to Parker about them, but after I had made fun of 'her' dreams, I didn't think she'd be willing to help me." Lyle broke off from his soliloquy, when the car pulled up to the airport. As he exited the car he muttered " Let's get this show on the road."  
  
"Sydney, what do you think will happen if he isn't Catherine Parker's son? How do you think he'll react?" Broots asked grabbing his bags, as his eyes followed Lyle into the airport.  
  
"I think Mr. Lyle will come back with a vengeance and a very big death wish." Sydney answered sadly as both he and Broots followed Lyle into the airport. "If that comes to pass, Miss Parker and Jarod will have no choice but to destroy him by any means necessary. Mr. Lyle will not be allowed to live. Not this time."  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo @ 3:00 p.m. CST  
  
Jarod came out of the kitchen with two mugs of coffee for himself and Parker. When he walked into the living room, he saw her stretched out on the sofa on her side fast asleep. As he looked at her, he didn't think he'd ever seen her so at peace, as he did when he watched her sleep. Unless he was watching her hold their son. He put the coffee down by his laptop. He then went to the hall closet and grabbed one of the blankets he had put in there. He went back to the living room and when he went to cover her up he realized Evan, who must have woken up during his nap and climbed up to be with her, was behind her on the sofa with his little arm draped around her. Jarod placed the blanket over both of them and watched as they both seemingly snuggled deeper into the blanket. 'Like mother, like son' he thought with a smile, 'my family.' He went over to the computer intent on doing some work, when something caught his eye. His digital camera. He quirked an eyebrow. 'She'll kill me but what a way to go.' he quickly grabbed it and took several shots. Some of Evan, a few of Eve and some of them together. He quickly downloaded them to his laptop and saved them to disk. He'd print them out later.  
  
When his cell phone rang he snatched it up quickly before the ringing could wake them up. "Hello?" Jarod said quietly.  
  
"Hi Jarod." a soft feminine voice answered.  
  
Jarod was in shock as he recognized her voice, one he had never expected to hear again. "Zoë?" Jarod was unable to keep the surprise from his voice. He glanced toward Parker and Evan and quickly rose and went down the hall to his bedroom so he could have the needed privacy to have this conversation.  
  
"I hope this isn't a bad time?" Zoë asked, praying he wouldn't say it was.  
  
"No, it's always good to hear from you. How are you? Your cancer still in remission? Have had any after effects from being kidnapped because of me?" Jarod asked disjointedly, not quite believing he wasn't dreaming.  
  
"In order. I'm fine. No sign of the cancer returning, and I'm fully recovered from the kidnaping plot. How are you, Jarod? I didn't mean to. . ." Zoë broke off suddenly.  
  
Jarod saw in his mind's eye her sweet smile and the auburn curls that framed her elfin-like features. "Zoë you have nothing to apologize for. What happened to you happened because you knew me. I understood that you needed some space because of that. Are you feeling safer now?"  
  
"Yes, Jarod I'm in a safe place." "Good. Things could be going down soon. I'd like you to stay where you're at, for at least another couple of weeks. I would like to see you, to make sure you're all right. I won't put you in danger again." Jarod said insistently.  
  
"Jarod?" Zoë asked hesitantly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've missed you." Zoë confessed softly. "I don't know if I have the right to tell you that. I'd also really like to see you again, to talk. I can wait though , until you say its safe to see you." Zoë said slowly not sure if she wanted to put her heart out there. Jarod had always had the ability to break her heart. He balanced her in such a way, sometimes it felt like half her heart had been his since the moment they met.  
  
"Zoë, there is so much I want to tell you. Where are you? I mean will you tell me where you are?" Jarod asked quietly.  
  
"I'm in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It's beautiful this time of year. Why don't you come out here, once the dust settles. We could talk and maybe make some decisions?" Zoë offered.  
  
"Decisions?" Jarod asked afraid to complete the thought.  
  
"Yeah, decisions about us, if there should be an us."  
  
"Are you saying you want to be in my life, for real, no pretending. A real relationship. Dating and all that?" Jarod asked. He was confused, 'Why was he happy about this. Weren't Eve and he trying to start something for themselves?'  
  
"Maybe. I just know I've never been happier then I am when you are with me. A lot happier then I am without you."  
  
"Zoë, you need to know something first. It might change your mind about us. I have a son. I didn't know about him at the time when we were together either time. I just found out about him less the three weeks ago. His mother is Miss Parker, the woman that has been chasing me for the past five years. She didn't know about him until recently either. The Centre, took her egg and my sperm and created this child to use as they wanted. They had someone else carry the child. If we got together in any way, you have to know I'd want to be near him to watch him grow up. I've lost so much of my family, I couldn't handle losing him. Zoë would you have a problem with that? Are you still there?" Jarod asked his voice rising worried that she had hung up on him.  
  
Zoë sniffled and wipe the tears from her eyes. "How old is he?" she asked, she couldn't blame him for wanting his child. After all, even if she and Jarod got together, she probably wouldn't be able to give him children due to the cancer and the chemotherapy she has had to go through. She felt the pang in her heart though, at the thought that someone else had given Jarod the child she knew he desperately wanted.  
  
"He's almost three. His name is Evan Thomas. He and his mother have been spending the last couple of weeks with me. We both needed some time to get to know our son." Jarod said the pride in his son evident in every word he spoke.  
  
"Is that why this is going down in the next week or so. You want him safe?" Zoë asked concerned.  
  
"Parker's mother was killed trying to save me and her children. I don't want Evan to grow up without his mother or his father. So yes that's why. Knowing all this do you still want to try to have an us?" Jarod asked, he would lie to her anymore.  
  
"Jarod, I'm planning to stay here in Colorado for at least two months. You get this mess with the Centre figured out, then you come find me. We'll talk and see where, if anywhere we want to go from there. OK? Jarod? I love you. I'm willing to spend whatever time I have left on this earth with you, in whatever capacity you'd like me in. I just need you to make sure I'm the one you want to spend your life with. Don't say anything or I won't be able to finish this. If I'm the one you want to grow old with, come to me in Colorado. If you don't or can't come, I'll have my answer. Fair enough?" Zoë asked her heart in her throat. She couldn't believe that she'd just laid her heart on the line like that.  
  
"Fair enough. Do you have a number that I can call you to let you know when I'll be there?" Jarod asked gruffly.  
  
'He said when, not if' Zoë said in her mind, "It's 719-555-1234. I'm going to let you finish, whatever you were doing. Jarod, I meant it when I said I love you. I love you enough to want you to be happy, even if it isn't with me. I'm gonna go before I say anything else. I refuse to cry on the phone, it's just too sappy for words. Bye." Zoë said as she ended the call, before she could beg.  
  
"Bye Zoë." Jarod said to the dial tone in his ear.  
  
Jarod sat on the bed for what seemed like a long time. 'I guess I have some serious thinking to do. I will not hurt her.'  
  
"So that was Zoë. How is she doing?" A voice from the doorway startled Jarod from his reverie. He looked up to see his Dad looking at him with a thoughtful expression on his face. "What did she have to say?" Major Charles inquired as he walked over and sat down beside his son on the bed.  
  
"She says she's OK. She wants me to come to Colorado when this is done, so we can straighten us out. I asked her to stay there until the dust settles. She's planning on being there for a couple of months. If I decide that I want her permanently in my life, to go see her. Otherwise she'll assume I don't." Jarod confessed as he looked at the cell phone he still held. "What do I do Dad? What about my feelings for Eve?"  
  
"Jarod, I think it's a little late for me to give you any kind of 'birds and bees' talk. What I will ask is; Is Zoë the who you want to spend forever with, or is Eve? Not the someone you would settle for, the one you really want. If she is then you'll tell her and you'll go from there. If she isn't the one, you need to let her know, so she can find her happiness elsewhere and you can find yours. You know all a parent ever wants for their child, is for them to find happiness with someone. Do you love her?" Charles asked.  
  
"Of course I love Zoë, Dad! She makes me smile at the stupidest things. I have a genius I.Q., but compared to what she knows sometimes I feel like a teenager all over again. She isn't in awe of my intelligence. She calls me on it when I get to full of myself. She's a light to my dark places." Jarod said fervently.  
  
"It sounds like you have your answer. If you aren't sure, ask yourself this. Why did you assume I was asking you if you loved Zoë? I just asked if you loved HER? I never mentioned a name. As for your feeling for Eve, son you always remember your first love. She's the mother of your son. You'll always love her. But are you IN love with her? Does just the thought of her make you smile? If it doesn't then you both need to let each other go, so you can both find the one who does. Talk to her Jarod. Both of them deserve your honesty. All of you deserve to be happy. I think Ethan and I will take Evan to the park to give you two sometime to figure this out." Charles got up and put his hand on Jarod's shoulder. "Listen to your heart, son. It won't steer you wrong." "Thanks. Dad? Was Mom your first love?" Jarod asked hesitantly.  
  
"No, but she's the last. She's the only woman I imagine spending my last days with. She's the one woman I can't think about without smiling, whether we're were together or apart." Charles said with a fond smile of the beautiful red-head with the big eyes that still haunted his dreams. "Thanks Dad."  
  
Jarod went and stood by the window in his room. He watched as the streets of Chicago got crowded with those hoping to get an early start on their evening.  
  
"Why did you let me fall asleep, Jarod?" Parker said as she came into the bedroom. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Zoë called." Jarod said shortly.  
  
"Ooohhh the infamous Zoë. How is she?" Parker asked calmly.  
  
Jarod turned to answer her, but instead he walked over to Parker. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her for all he was worth. It still had the heat, the intensity and the promise of passion, but it was still lacking something. 'What?' he wondered. "Do you love me?" Jarod asked her abruptly.  
  
"Pardon me?" Parker asked still a bit breathless from the kiss that satisfied her but lacked something she couldn't quite put her finger on, there was passion there but . . .  
  
"Do-you-love-me?" Jarod repeated enunciating each word carefully.  
  
"Jarod! That isn't a yes or no question." Parker meet his gaze. "OK I'm evading the real question.. Yes. A part of me does love you very much. I think if we wanted to, we could make a life together from that love. Another, larger part of me says No. It's the part that remembers how I felt when I loved and was loved by my Tommy. It's that kind of love that I want and deserve to have again. I think I might even find it again one day. I don't want to settle for what we could make. I don't think you do either. I want the sweetness, the feeling of coming home to someone. A someone who knows about and accepts the dark places in me. Someone who loves me not in spite of them but because of them, knowing that I am who I am because of those dark places. Is that how Zoë makes you feel?" she asked him point blank. "Doesn't she deep down feel like the missing piece of your personal puzzle?"  
  
"How did you get so smart? I'm the genius."  
  
"Don't you know anything Labrat? Girls mature faster then boys," Parker teased.  
  
"Very Funny." Jarod said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"You know Jarod; Syd, Broots and Lyle won't be here until tomorrow. A little bird told me once that Colorado is beautiful this time of year. Especially Colorado Springs."  
  
Jarod's head snapped up to look at her. "How. . ?" he began.  
  
"Go get your girl, Jarod, with my blessing if you feel you need it." Parker went and gave him a kiss on the cheek. " I know you'll be here for Evan and I when we need you. Right now you're needed elsewhere. Besides I can handle the details until you get back."  
  
"Where am I going"  
  
"Colorado Springs. Your ticket is waiting for you at O'Hare. The flight leaves in a little over two hours, so you might want to hurry."  
  
"Evie?"  
  
"Jarod, I'm always going to remember my first kiss and my first love who gave it to me. You and I aren't meant to be forever. If we were you wouldn't be in such a quandary over Zoë. You and Zoë have the chance that was denied to me and Thomas. I want you to take it. Just like you told me to take my chance with Tommy." Parker insisted.  
  
"Thank you Evie."  
  
"Would you GO, before you miss your flight."  
  
Jarod quickly kissed her forehead and said " I'm gone." as he ran out of the room. As he sprinted by the living room he grabbed his leather jacket and made sure he had his wallet. "Make sure you give Evan a kiss goodnight!" he called as the door to the condo slammed shut behind him.  
  
"Maybe if you find your forever with Zoë, I have a chance of finding my own." Parker said out loud in the empty room. "Hmmm the whole place to myself for the next few hours. I think I'll indulge in a long hot bubble bath, some wine and the nice smutty book I picked up last week. Put on some music, light a few candles." her eyes lit up with the anticipation of the total indulgence to come. "I'm gonna need it. All hell's going to break loose tomorrow."  
  
Bbbbrrrriiiiiinnnnggg  
  
"I knew today was going too well." Parker muttered to herself. "What!" she snapped in her usual fashion.  
  
"Eve?"  
  
"Sorry Sydney. Didn't mean to snap. Is everything going according to plan?"  
  
"Yes it is. I've just arrived in Albany. I'll be picking up Michelle, Alli and Nicholas soon. We'll all be staying at the Palmer House. I'll call you and Jarod in the morning, to check in and get the time you want us to meet." Sydney said as he nodded to woman passing by.  
  
"Jarod had to go out of town. Since he won't be back until late tomorrow afternoon, you 'll all have plenty of time to be well rested." Parker said absently.  
  
"Parker-Eve what aren't you saying?" Sydney asked concerned with her tone of voice.  
  
"You'll find out tomorrow, Syd," Parker said. Changing the subject, "Do you know if Broots and Lyle have reached their destinations yet?"  
  
"They both made their flights. So, I have every reason to believe that everything is just fine."  
  
"Good! All this waiting and worrying is bad for my ulcer."  
  
Sydney waited a moment and did something he had sworn he wouldn't, "Eve do you know if your. . .?"  
  
"Tomorrow Syd. We'll get all our cards on the table tomorrow. OK?"  
  
"All right. Good night Eve, If you need me for anything you can reach me on my cell phone."  
  
"Thanks Syd. Good night. I'll see you tomorrow." Parker said as she took a deep breath and let it out as the call was disconnected.  
  
Atlanta Int'l Airport Atlanta, GA @ 7:00 p.m. EST  
  
Lyle stared at his cell phone. 'I can't believe this!' he thought disgustedly. 'I'm not a seventeen year old waiting for my girlfriend to call me' Being in the middle of this particular tangent when his cell phone did ring, Lyle jumped. "This is Lyle." he answered.  
  
"So you actually gave me your real phone number and not a phony one. Should I be honored." Liza teased.  
  
Lyle let the sound of her voice flow over him just like a refreshing breeze. "Liza would you believe that I was just thinking about you." Lyle said smiling, as his whole body completely relaxed at the sound of her voice.  
  
"Thinking about me or what we were doing in your hotel room this morning?"  
  
"Both. So, how's the search going?"  
  
"Are we going to be all business now?"  
  
"Isn't that what you said you wanted, for now. Liza, you're a mother. I don't see you as the type to jump into a no-strings affair. Am I wrong?" Lyle asked. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why what Liza felt meant something to him.  
  
"Is that all I-it was to you?" He heard her voice catch. "I asked you first."  
  
"I asked you second."  
  
"Liza . . ." Lyle began.  
  
"Ok! You're right. I'm not the type for a one night stand or a no-strings affair. Is that all we can be? Wait, don't answer that. I'm sorry we said we wouldn't dissect this until I saw you again. But was it just a one night- morning stand? Because, to be honest with you, I think we could be more. I think I want us to be more then that. Do you want that too?" Liza said in rush afraid if she paused he would interrupt her with an unwelcome dose of reality.  
  
"I'm not sure of what I want. I won't cheapen what happened this morning. I enjoyed myself and you tremendously. I'm not a nice person, Liza. I've done things that would make a woman like you turn tail and run as far away as fast as you can. In fact you should probably stay as far away from me as physically possible." Lyle confessed morosely. "You aren't my type. But, I can honestly say I have never felt with any woman what I feel with you."  
  
"Are you at all sorry for the things you've done, that you think would scare me away from you?"  
  
"I don't know. I am sorry for the person I have become because of doing those things. It probably doesn't mean much, but in the past I've never lingered after sex with anyone. This morning I couldn't do that this morning. " Lyle confessed. 'Of course that's because I was doing something else afterwards.'  
  
"I won't say that, that's sweet. But, I hear what you're trying to say."  
  
"Liza I have absolutely no idea what going on between us. I'm in completely unchartered territory. I know I like it. I just can't promise you anything more, not yet at least. I have to go my plane is boarding."  
  
"Lyle, wait! Do you think you could ever offer me more?" Liza asked him pointedly.  
  
"I don't know if I can. Does it matter at all to you that I want to be able to offer you more?" "Yes, it means something. I'll see you in a few days. Think of me?"  
  
"Count on it." Lyle said as he disconnected the call and walked over to the gate to get in line to board the plane to Milwaukee. His heart hadn't felt this light since he was fifteen and he had, had yet to hear the name Dr. Raines.  
  
Nashville Airport Nashville, TN around same time (6:00) p.m. CST  
  
"Daddy?" Debbie asked as she and her father waited for their plane.  
  
"Yes Baby?" Broots fondly asked his daughter.  
  
"Daaadddeee!" Debbie said exasperated.  
  
"Sorry sweetie. It's just you'll always be my baby. Do you need something?"  
  
Debbie looked at her Dad with a thoughtful expression when she asked, "Daddy, does Miss Parker really have a baby?"  
  
"Well Evan isn't exactly a baby, he's almost three. Yes, evan is Miss Parker's son." Broots explained.  
  
"Do you think she's gonna want to still spend time with me, now that she has him?" Debbie asked, horrified when she realized she had just spoken out loud. 'I mean it's not like I'm her kid, but I'd miss her. She's like. . . '  
  
"Debbie!" Broots unknowingly cut into his daughters thoughts. "Sweetie you don't really think Miss Parker wouldn't want to spend time with you do you?" "No. But. . ."  
  
"But, What?" Broots pushed gently to find out what was going through his daughter's thoughts.  
  
"After you got custody of me from Mommy, I never saw her again, and she was my MOM. Miss Parker isn't even related to me, and now she has her own kid." Debbie broke off as tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Debbie, Miss Parker is still crazy about you. I know for a fact, she had to buy another suitcase, because of all the clothes she bought you.." Broots said putting his arm around her, and giving her a squeeze. "Sweetie you are very special to her. I'll even bet she asks you if she needs any babysitting done"  
  
"Really?" Debbie asked hopefully. "Thanks Daddy, I love you." She smiled as she gave her father a hug.  
  
"I love you too, Sweetie. That's our flight, Let's go."  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo @ 8:00 p.m. CST  
  
Bbrrrriiiiinnnngggg  
  
"Hello?" a sleepy sounding voice answered.  
  
"Miss Parker? Is that you?" Broots asked perplexed.  
  
"Hi Broots. What's up?"  
  
"Miss Parker are you sure this is, well, you?" Broots was positive this had to be Jarod imitating Parker's voice. He'd never heard Parker this relaxed before.  
  
"Of course it's me Broots. I am just very, very, VERY, relaxed. Of course you would be too if you'd been languishing around in a huge bubble bath for over an hour, drinking white wine, and reading a smutty book while listening to some jazz."  
  
Broots held back a groan at the picture of her, her words were creating in his mind.  
  
"I just called to tell you, Debbie and I had landed and we're leaving Indianapolis now. Debbie konked out after eating at McDonald's." Broots glanced back at his sleeping daughter, and made a decision, "Miss Parker?"  
  
"What is it Broots? You sound really worried about something, not that you don't always seem worried when we have a conversation, but something's different. Is something wrong?" Parker put down the glass of wine and sat up in the bathtub.  
  
"Yes-No, I don't know. I've never been one to talk about Debbie's and my conversations. This one, though involves you."  
  
"Ok, Broots now you really are beginning to worry me. What's wrong with Debbie?" Parker said concerned for the little girl, no young woman, with the strawberry blond hair and blue eyes.  
  
Broots sighed and decided to go ahead and tell Parker about Debbie's concerns. "Debbie was saying that now that you had Evan, you probably wouldn't want to be spending time with her. I told her I didn't think that would happen."  
  
"James! Do you honestly think I would do that to her. How often has she stayed over at my house? I've taken her shopping , we've had girl talks. We- " Parker clenched her fist at the idea that Debbie though she would desert her.  
  
Broots interrupted her "Eve! I told her that! I know you like Debbie and you have been a great friend to her," 'and to me' he added silently. "I also know you care a great deal for my daughter. You've no idea how much that means to me. I even told her you had done some shopping for her on this trip. I just thought you might want to know what's going on inside her head. WHen you see see her you can reassure her for yourself, in your own way." Broots took a deep breath as he finished his little speech. " I also told her that when you felt more comfortable leaving Evan with someone, you might even ask her to babysit."  
  
"Oh God Jim, I'm sorry I didn't meas to snap at you. Sometimes I swear you must think more of me than I do of myself. I'll make sure Debbie and I have some alone time, while she's here. We'll be fine." Parker swept the tendrils of her hair off her face.  
  
"Soooo you're having a soak." If Broots could have he would have smacked his forehead. 'Why did I say that' "Where is everyone?  
  
Parker smirked at Broots' comment. "Major Charles took Ethan and Evan to the park and will probably be arriving son with my very filthy son."  
  
"Where's Jarod?"  
  
"He's probably about ready to land in Colorado as we speak"  
  
"Colorado! What's he doing in Colorado?" Broots was flabbergasted.  
  
"Zoë called. He had quite a reaction to talking to her, so I sent him to see her. You guys weren't getting in until late anyway. Jarod will be back tomorrow afternoon." Parker said very matter-of-factly.  
  
Broots wasn't buying it. "How do you feel about that?"  
  
Parker knew what he was doing, "Are you turning into Sigmund Freud on me?"  
  
"I know Jarod means a lot to you."  
  
"You're right. Jarod does mean a lot to me. He was my first friend, love, kiss, and now I find he's also the father of my son. If Zoë wasn't in the picture at all, like Thomas isn't, I might have fought a bit harder. I don't love him like she does, like he deserves to be loved. He doesn't complete me like Thomas did. I'm not saying we couldn't have built a life and grown to love each other. You didn't see his face. It's the same look, I know I'd have if Thomas was able to come back to me. We both deserve some real happiness after the way the Centre has treated us." Parker grew wistful as the memories of a man with a big smile and soft eyes filled her head.  
  
"Parker, Eve, I hope you both find that happiness. You both deserve it."  
  
"Thanks James. Call me when you and Debbie wake up tomorrow and we can do something."  
  
"All right. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye." as Parker hung up the phone. She realized that she and Broots had a very interesting relationship. For some reason she could tell him things she would never tell anyone else. Parker rose from the tub and grabbed the robe laying there, as she wrapped her self in it she allowed the water to drain from the tub. "Like the miscarriage,' Parker thought 'He was such a rock that whole time. Just holding my hand and being there, and also respecting my wishes to say nothing to anyone at work about the baby.' Parker thought back to that horrible week after she had lost her and Thomas' baby, 'I still think it was a girl. Thomas would have loved a little girl.' Parker also remembered that every morning that first week, there had been a gardenia on her desk, with a sprig of baby's breath. Also after her non-lunch hour. There had been a pot of hot chamomile tea, with some fruit and a sandwich on her desk, that for some reason she had always eaten. "I wonder if that was Broots?" Parker asked aloud, as she wandered in the direction of the kitchen to see what she would make herself for a late dinner.  
  
As she reached the kitchen she heard a key turning the lock. She watched as Ethan and the Major brought in a barely awake, grubby little boy.  
  
"Someone got very tired after a Happy Meal at McDonalds." Ethan said shaking his head in amazement. "It was incredible, he was like that pink bunny on the commercial for the batteries you know the one that kept going and going and going. Then all of a sudden it was like someone pulled the battery out and he was out like a light."  
  
Parker shook her head as she walked over to the Major holding out her arms to take her son.  
  
"I can clean him up Eve. You obviously just got out of the shower." Major Charles began.  
  
"No. Really I want to take him. I've barely seen him all day." Parker said as she plucked Evan from his arms. "C'mere Baby."  
  
"Mmmommma? I weally tired." Evan mumbled as he snuggled deeper into her as his arms wrapped themselves around her neck.  
  
"I know Baby. Let's get you cleaned up and into bed." Parker murmurrd as she enjoyed the weight of her son in her arms. It was amazing how quickly she got used to something she had never thought she wanted.  
  
"I lub you Momma." Evan said sleepily looking up at her with bright blue eyes.  
  
"I love you too, baby. Let's get you to bed."  
  
"You wead me a stowy?" Evan asked with a glint that could have only come from Jarod in his eyes.  
  
"Yes you little stinker I'll read you a story."  
  
"Oh-tay."Evan said as he closed his eyes again.  
  
Colorado Springs Airport Colorado Springs, CO same time @7:00 p.m. MST  
  
Jarod exited the airport, and looked around as he took out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number Zoë had given him.  
  
"Hello, This is Zoë!" Zoë happily answered.  
  
"Hello Zoë."  
  
"Jarod!" Zoë exclaimed.  
  
"You said I could call you. So, where are you staying?"  
  
"At the Comfort Inn.."  
  
"What room are you in?"  
  
"Room 300, Jarod. Why?" "If I don't know where you are, how else am I going to be able to find you?"  
  
Zoë's eyes widened at that statement. "D-Does that mean when the dust settles you'll come?" Zoë was almost to scared to hope his answer would be yes.  
  
"Something like that. I'll see you soon?"  
  
"Yeah," Zoë nodded happily, with tears in her eyes. "I'll see you soon." Zoë danced around the room after she had disconnected the phone. 'He said he'd come. He's actually coming back to me!'  
  
Jarod smiled at the phone after he disconnected the call. Jarod raised his arm to hail a cab. After he got in he told the cab driver the name of Zoë's hotel. During the thirty minute ride to the hotel, he thought about Parker, Eve. The mother of his son. He really hoped she and Zoë would be able to get along. After they pulled up to the hotel, he got out, and paid the fare. Before his courage could desert him, he quickly walked through the lobby and headed toward the elevators. Jarod stepped in and pushed 3 (A/N: For those who haven't visited America, the Lobby is not considered the first floor to us.) As the doors closed and took him up to the third floor, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The doors opened and as he stepped out of the elevator, he thought 'I hope I know what I'm doing.' Jarod took the hallway to the left as that was the way to Room 300.  
  
Jarod pulled out his phone and re-dialed Zoë's phone number, as he got closer, and closer to her room he heard the phone ring.  
  
"This is Zoë."Zoë said as she answered the phone.  
  
"It's me again."Jarod said as he stood outside the door of Room 300.  
  
"Hi me. I feel honored two phone calls in one day. Whatcha doing?"  
  
"Not much. I just wanted to . . ." Jarod paused as he knocked on the door in front of him.  
  
"Jarod, hold on a sec, someone's at the door." Zoë went and opened the door, "Can I help. . ." she broke off at the sight of the person in front of her.  
  
"So have I rendered you speechless?" Jarod asked lifting a single eyebrow questioningly.  
  
"JAROD! What are you doing here?" Zoë sputtered out. She was hoping she wasn't hallucinating.  
  
"Right now, I'm admiring the view. You did say to come over when I was sure." Jarod answered as he hung up his phone.  
  
"Jarod?" Zoë repeated. This was mind blowing.  
  
"Zoë, you can hang up the phone."Jarod gestured to the phone she still held in her hand.  
  
"The Phone?" Zoë asked blankly. "Oh yeah. Jarod, I have to go you're here, Bye."  
  
"May I come in?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Yes, of course." Zoë said stepping backwards into the room. She turned to put her cell phone down. "Jarod wh-" the rest of what Zoë had to say was cut off, as Jarod pulled her into his arms and gave her one of his blind- siding, toe-curling, heart-melting kisses. 'Damn, but he's good at these.'Zoë thought to herself as Jarod broke off the kiss. "Are you sure you spent thirty odd years locked up in the Centre?"  
  
"Oh, yeah I was definitely locked up." Jarod sat down on the bed and drew Zoë down onto his lap. They sat there for a bit just taking in each others frangrance.  
  
Zoë wrapped her arms around his neck asking, "How long can you stay?"  
  
"My flight leaves tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon."  
  
"That soon?"  
  
"Yeah. If we want the Centre to fall, we have to do it now. Knowing you are safe helps a lot. I was going to wait and come see you after it was completely safe. I was persuaded not to wait. Zoë?" Jarod explained as her ran his hand up and down her back.  
  
Zoë was now preoccupied with kissing Jarod's neck. "Yes Jarod." She froze as Jarod whispered something in her ear. Zoë swallowed hard, "What did you say?"  
  
"Well you told me when I knew who I wanted I should let you know. I'm letting you know. Zoë, will you marry me?" Jarod answered her smiling. It faded as he saw her face drain of all color. "Zoë?!"  
  
"You. . .want. . .to. . .marry. . .ME? Why?!"  
  
"Zoë! I love you. You can make me laugh, at life and myself. You live life to the fullest and you make me want to do the same. I need that. I spent so much of my life in a set of rooms I was rarely allowed out of. I want to discover the world out there with you. I want to grow old with you. If it's at all possible, and you're willing, I'd love to have a child with you. Maybe a little girl with your fiery curls and effervescent personality, my eyes and genius. She's got to be able to hole her own with her brother. One who'll give me gray hair before I'm fifty." Jarod said passionately. 'What if she says NO?' he thought.  
  
"But, Jarod the cancer treatments. . .I might not be able to have our baby. Would you be OK with that?"Zoë said tears welling up in her eyes. 'Ohmygod, He wants to marry me!' she shouted in her mind.  
  
"If you can't we can share custody of Evan with Eve. Would it matter to you, if she wasn't ours biologically? There are lots of children out there that need homes. If you haven't been tested we don't know for sure. Even if Evan is the only child I ever raise, it will be more then enough. As long as you are there with me, beside me." Jarod said sincerely looking deep into the eyes that overflowed with tears.  
  
Zoë smiled through the tears running down her face. "You mean it? You really want to marry me?"  
  
"Yeah, I do. I'm sorry I don't have a ring for you. I wasn't planning on doing this just yet. If you want we could go right now and get you your ring."  
  
"Are you assuming I'm going to say yes?" Zoë asked teasingly.  
  
"I'm praying you'll say yes." Jarod corrected.  
  
"You really want this?"  
  
"I really want you in my life. I'll take you any way I can have you. But Zoë, I really want you as my wife." "Ok." Zoë said matter-of-factly as she slid off of Jarod's lap.  
  
"OK?!"  
  
"Ok, as in yes, I would love to marry you. After the dust settles you and I can get married. I don't want anything big. I just want you."  
  
"Yes? ThankyouThankyouThankyou!" Jarod said as he got off the bed and lifted Zoë into his arms. "Can we go get your ring now."  
  
"Now? Why not tomorrow?"  
  
"Because I don't want to wait until tomorrow. Besides what makes you think we're leaving this room at tomorrow except for going to the airport." Jarod said with a wicked grin spreading across his face, as he put her down on her feet.  
  
"Oh, You think you're going to get lucky tonight do you.?" Zoë teased as she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. "I already got lucky. You said yes."  
  
"You've always been like a kid in a candy store. Ok, Let's go get me a ring." Zoë went over to the table to grab her purse. "Oh and Jarod?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Zoë leaned close and whispered suggestively in his ear. "They have an incredible swimming pool, that gets deserted late at night."  
  
Jarod let a really wicked smile spread across his face as he remembered the last time they went swimming together.  
  
"Hey" Zoë snapped her finger in front of his face. "If you want to go swimming later, we need to go ring shopping now and have some dinner. I'm starving."  
  
"You got it."  
  
"Jarod, where is your bag?"  
  
"I didn't bring anything but me."  
  
"Then we definitely have to do some shopping. You'll need something to wear tomorrow."  
  
"Zoë, I love you." Jarod said as they walked out the motel room.  
  
"That is really good," Zoë said as she laced her fingers through his. "Because, I love you too."  
  
Chicago, IL Jarod's Condo @ 9:00 p.m. CST  
  
Ethan and Major Charles were on the sofa watching one of Jarod's many tapes of the antics of the Three Stooges. Charles watched as Ethan cracked up as the Stooges performed yet another round of eye poking fun.  
  
"Did you have a good time today son?" Charles asked concerned. He didn't want to mother the boy, but he knew Ethan still had residual problems thanks to Raines. He personally didn't care what plans Jarod or for that matter Eve, had for Raines, he planned to take care of Raines himself.  
  
"Gwampa? Whatcha doin'?" Evan asked as he came by the sofa, with a big yawn and bigger eyes, as he saw what was on the television.  
  
"Evan! What are you doing up?" Charles asked as he picked the boy up and settled him on his lap. His eyes grew misty as he realized how much of his children's lives he had missed.  
  
"I wanted to see you." Evan said against his chest. Gwampa gave the best hugs.  
  
The three of them sat on the sofa and finished. By the time the tape had run out and Ethan grabbed the remote to rewind it. He noticed that his father and nephew were sound asleep. He flipped through the channels for a few minutes before finally clicking it off. Ethan got off the sofa and stretched his arms up over his head. He picked up and moved his father's feet to where he had been sitting. Ethan then grabbed a blanket that he saw on a chair and covered both of them with it.  
  
Ethan walked down the hallway toward his room. As he passed Jarod's bedroom he saw, through the cracked door, Eve tucked into the bed. She was propped up in the bed with all of the pillows, wearing her jade green silk pajamas, reading a book that was balanced on her knees. She looked so relaxed he decided against talking to her.  
  
As Ethan turned back toward his bedroom, he heard her voice wafting from the room. "I know you're there Ethan! Come on in. This book isn't that great." Parker called out to him through the door.  
  
Ethan grinned to himself, 'And with instincts like that she couldn't catch Jarod for over five years. I don't think so.' Ethan pushed the door open and leant against the doorframe and watched as his big sister looked at him.  
  
"You know you remind me of Jarod when you stand like that." Parker stated matter-of-factly. 'Oh, Momma I wish you could see your baby now. You would. . .'  
  
"Can I ask you something Eve?" Ethan's concerned voice cut into her musings.  
  
"You can ask me anything Ethan, you know that." Parker smiled up at her baby brother. She patted the bed beside her as she sat up in the bed. "Come over and sit down, we'll talk."  
  
Ethan walked over and sat down beside her on the bed.  
  
"Where's Charles?" Parker asked.  
  
"Ma-Dad and Evan are conked out on the sofa. Evan came out of his room for some weird reason. He watched the three stooges with us for all of about 10 minutes and fell asleep on Dad. I covered them both with a blanket and left them in the living room. Why did you let Jarod go to Zoë?" Ethan blurted out.  
  
"Ethan, I didn't LET Jarod go. He's not a child that has to ask my permission to do anything." Parker held up her hand to keep Ethan from interrupting her, "I know what you're not asking me. I know how Jarod really feel about Zoë. Did I ever tell you about my Tommy?" at his nod she continued, "Zoë brings a light to his darkness. I don't think she necessarily has the highest I.Q. in the world, but she has an everyday common sense that Jarod doesn't. She can make him laugh at himself at a situation. Ethan, he and I have been through so much pain and sorrow, that we need people that can both understand and accept that about us. We need to find partners that can make us see that laughter and happiness are still inside us, and that we deserve those feelings. Just as Thomas did that for me, Zoë does that for Jarod. I'll be honest with you if Zoë had never called and I hadn't heard the way he spoke to her. Jarod and I could have made a life together, we would have probably even been happy. We also both would have been settling for the status quo. Ethan I've been blessed enough to know what it feels like to be loved, really loved. Jarod deserves the same. He loves her so much. I also know he loves me, but not the way I need to be loved not anymore." Parker squeezed the hand Ethan slipped into hers. "Jarod and I will always share something special not only as each others first love, but as the parents of that beautiful little boy out there. Jarod and I care for each other we are able to draw comfort from each other. We also use each other as a crutch when we don't want to face the truth. Excellent example the fact that Jarod and I have been sleeping in this bed for over two weeks and it has never gone beyond platonic. I mean the first few nights, before you got here we made out pretty hot and heavy, but it TOO easy to stop. Even if all we had felt was passion it would have gone further then it has." Parker wrapped her arm around her bent knees and looked a little forlorn. "I want to spend the rest of my life with someone who loves me. It's what Momma would want for me, for him, for you. Am I making any sense here?"  
  
Ethan looked at her intently, "Since when did you get so smart?" he teased.  
  
"Since I got here. I've realized that Jarod and I have spent too much time being unhappy. We shouldn't spend the rest of our lives with someone who doesn't make us feel complete."  
  
"Fine. I get to play Devil's advocate then. When you think of the man you want to spend forever with what do you see?" Ethan asked intrigued at what her answer might be. He pushed away the whispered voice of his mother.  
  
"You mean do I see Prince Charming riding up on a white steed to rescue me? Someone tall, dark and handsome?" Parker asked sarcastically.  
  
"Noooo! Don't go by looks. I don't want to know who you see. I want to know WHAT you see. How do you him to act?" Ethan said rolling his eyes.  
  
Parker leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. "I want someone who won't take me at face value. If I give attitude I want them to tell me they know I'm giving attitude and to quit it, or if necessary give it right back. I want someone who understands that I have a past I'm not particularly proud of, and won't throw that in my face. I want a man who will love my son, and is man enough to realize Jarod is always going to be part of our lives. In the middle of the night I want to know that someone is there for me, that I don't have to be strong all on my own. Someone who thinks I'm pretty terrific, bad temper and all. Someone who would possibly want another child or two." Parker laughed at the expression on Ethans' face as she opened her eyes to look at him. "What? I can't want to actually have my own baby?"  
  
"No. It isn't that. You've never really seemed to WANT the whole maternal thing. Is the change because of Evan?"  
  
"In large part yes. I delivered him. If I hadn't been there to kill Brigitte he would have died. I never would have known my own baby. Another part of it is I'd like to be pregnant again. Feel myself carrying a new life as it grows. Hear its heartbeat, get the cravings, the weight gain, having my insides kicked, and of course being able to cuss out the man who got me in that condition in the first place while giving birth." Parker smiled at the thought and unconsciously stroked her abdomen where the baby would lie.  
  
"Again? You were pregnant before. When?" Ethan was confused.  
  
"I found out I was pregnant a few weeks after Thomas died. I miscarried shortly thereafter. No one knew except Broots and the only reason he knew is he took me to the hospital. I didn't tell anyone, not even Jarod, at the time. I told Jarod around two weeks ago and now you know."  
  
"I'm sorry sis, I know that baby had to mean a lot to you. What if you found those qualities in a man who already had a child of his own." Ethan asked slyly.  
  
"Are you trying to set me up?" "No. I think you have someone all ready in mind. I just think you might be a little scared to go for it, because of your past behavior toward him. That's all I'm gonna say." Ethan leaned over and kissed his sister on the cheek. He then got off the bed and started toward the door. "I'll be in my room watching TV. Good night Evie."  
  
"I swear he gets more and more like Jarod everyday." Parker muttered under her breath as she watched Ethan leave the room. 'Now who could he be talking about.' She thought to herself as she mentally went through the admittedly long list of men she has known throughout her life. She zeroed in on one possibility almost immediately. 'NO! Absolutely not!' her head said but then just as quickly another voice popped up with 'Why not? Because he isn't tall dark and handsome?' "I'm not going there right now." Parker said out loud as she tossed the covers aside and went to get her son and put him back in his bed.  
  
Parker stopped suddenly when she came upon the sight of Evan and the Major snuggled together on the sofa. She smiled to herself as she deftly plucked her son from his grandfather's arms.  
  
"Momma." Evan murmured sleepily. "I wub you. My pwetty Momma." He said as he patted her cheek and dropped his head to her shoulder and closed his eyes again.  
  
"I love you too baby, so, so much." Parker said as she hugged him close. She took him back to their bedroom and tucked him into his bed. Parker watched her son sleep, with the innocence only a child can sleep with, for a few minutes. "I swear to you baby," Parker vowed softly, "Only over my dead body, will they do to you what was done to your Daddy." She smoothed the dark baby fine hair away from his face. Parker rose and left the room quietly. "Mommy is going to finish her smutty book and go to bed early. Scarlett O'Hara had it right 'Tomorrow is another day' And it is going to be a doozy."  
  
Comfort Inn Suites Hallway outside Zoë's Room Colorado Springs, CO A few hours later @ 11:00 p.m. MST  
  
"Zoë!" Jarod called down the hall as quietly as possible. 'The woman is going to drive me to drink! If I don't land in jail for killing her first.' "Zoë!"  
  
"Yyyeeeess?" Zoë drawled as her left arm snaked around him from behind. She pressed her face into his back and gave it few soft kisses.  
  
Jarod felt her cool skin against his back. He bit back a groan as he realized what little barrier there was between them. As he looked down her hands the two-carat pear shaped diamond ring that she choose winked up at him. Jarod grinned to himself The Centre certainly know how to buy fine jewelry. "Zoë, you do realize that you took something that didn't belong to you down at the pool right?"  
  
Zoë grinned mischievously at his back, "But Jarod, I left something of equal value in exchange." She came around from behind him in one of those short, white, hotel length towels that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her right hand was still behind her back.  
  
Since Jarod in his own right hand held the few bits of black fabric and string that had comprised Zoë's swim suit, he knew what was hidden in hers.  
  
"Zoë, we are in the middle of the hallway in a very crowded hotel. I don't appreciate the fact that I had to walk up from the lobby dressed in nothing but this towel." Jarod said urgently his embarrassment aparent due to the blush climbing his face.  
  
"Jarod is not like we haven't seen each other naked before. I seem to remember the last time we went skinny dipping." Zoë arched a single eyebrow pointedly.  
  
"Zoë, I love you I really do. But sometimes you really take the cake. I think that is how the saying goes. I don't like the idea of walking around in a hotel with nothing but a towel." Jarod explained patiently. "So lets go in the room and take up where we left off in the pool."  
  
"The key was in my. . ." Jarod broke off as Zoë held the key up for him to take. "Thank you." "Don't mention it sweetie."  
  
Jarod opened the door and stepped aside to let Zoë in first. He craned his neck in either direction, just to make sure their conversation hadn't been overheard. When he took a step forward his foot caught on something causing him to almost trip. Jarod looked down and saw a white towel in front of him. He groaned to himself. "Zoë, please tell me you are wearing something."  
  
"Of course I am baby, the ring you just bought me. Now what does a girl got to do to get you to come over here and warm her up." Zoë's voice held just a hint of challenge. "Not much." Jarod said as he walked into the room, unwrapping his own towel as he closed the door with his foot.  
  
Palmer Hotel Lyle's Room Chicago, IL 12:00 a.m. CST  
  
Lyle opened his hotel room door and dropped his bag on the floor by the TV. Right now all he wanted was a hot shower and a comfortable bed. He knew he'd need to be well rested for the meeting between Parker, Jarod, Sydney, Broots, and himself. Lyle couldn't even enjoy the idea of sleeping in, it was no fun sleeping in if there wasn't someone there to sleep in with. Lyle smiled as he silently wished she'd be there in the morning. He then frowned. "NO! This. Is. Not. Happening. Number 1 I don't miss anyone, especially women I happen to sleep with. Number 2 When did I stop thinking with the head attached to my neck as opposed to the other head most commonly used by men. Number 3 when did I start talking to myself."  
  
Lyle chuckled to himself, 'I am nuts to be doing this. I'm going to get myself killed. If by some small chance I don't I'm sure Jarod's father knows a few places where a body would never be found. This is what I get for listening to voices and my conscience.' Lyle went over to the bed and turned it down. He then strode over to the bathroom dropping his clothes as he went. As he started the water running, he let the shower spray warm up. In the message from Jarod, he'd been told to only pack his casual stuff, jeans if he owned any. Once again he'd done as he'd been told. Obeying instructions this time around didn't feel so bad. Of course this time HE was actually one of the good guys. This time he had a reason to want to be one of the good guys. 'Momma, Please don't be wrong about me.' Lyle begged as stepped under the hot spray and began to soap up his toned body. ' I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror again. I'd like to have life.' As he let the water rinse away the soap, he felt a little lighter in the heart.  
  
After toweling off, he slipped between the sheets and turned off the lights. As he rolled over to his side he silently prayed. 'Please God, I know I don't deserve any more chances, but if I could at least die knowing I would have made my mother proud of me, I could be content with that.' Lyle then closed his eyes and let dreams take him far away.  
  
TBC in part 4b 


End file.
